Between the Half-Moon and the Stars
by D4rK Sid3
Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?
1. A New Beginning

**A/N: **This series captivated me and pulled me so much that I just had to start writing my own fic after the Cleaved ending of the series. The fic will take on in a somewhat realistic portrayal of the mash up of two worlds that collided together and everything that conveys fully that decision. It is rated T, but it might change to M in later chapters.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 1.**

A New Beginning.

I have long lived here in this world.

Magic gave me life to represent the essence of it all just like I gave life to Mewni, eons ago with thy gift of the first wand to those lost settlers. My name used to be Glossaryckk, because as life is fleeing without order, my purpose is to find it like an index. For as long as I can remember, I have guided from the shadows across centuries the delicate balance of the ultimate ruler of the land, never to put my hand to guide its fate, but to guide the decision of how to move forward, with a word here and there with key figures chosen by fate itself; I have created many things and beings to help and control such needed balance but the living nature and their decisions still confuse me to this very day. Many have said that I lack a foresight in the matters of the living and they'll be right. As long as breathing creatures infest the surface, I shall remain here, doing my duty and I have been doing it so, because that is what I have ever known through my guided existence, never to steer away from this path.

It has been said that life is a constant reminder that time is infinite. Across all cosmos and eons, no matter what becomes of us, the world will keep turning across time, until the end of it all.

Through adversity, disaster, sustained and chronic cruelty, society has advanced to a far more manageable bubble, sometimes going from one end to another, the end of my tale began when two individuals challenged the rails of this path and every adversity on the way to do so, refusing for the wheels of destiny to keep turning and so it happened.

Star Butterfly, the heir to the throne of Mewni had done what I have secretly wanted for generations, to die. You see, my purpose, cryptic as it has always been was always A to B, with no direction or variation…and I am tired. I am an ancient being with untold power, but I was born into my path. Just like the heir to the throne of this fantastic land of Mewni, I also had a predestined purpose; my wants and wishes were always in a second plane, never to be acknowledged like a fleeing thought. Yet, this child and her soul mate dared to challenge destiny itself.

My last fleeing thought as the other child that helped her accomplish this and Mewni have fused together into a single entity, whatever that conveyed, I could be happy that my service had finally ended and thus, the fate of a brand-new world could begin…just like the birth of a new star.

And thus, it begs the question. Shall I accept the terms that magic dictated for me? To cease to exist, or shall I leave it to the aforementioned pair to figure it out? That is for them to find out.

The blonde-haired girl breathed long and hard through her nostrils, trying to get her oxygen levels back into her body. Trails of sweat ran down her face and her heart pumped into her chest rapidly. Fatigue was secondary to the burning pit of emotions that exploded into her.

In front of her, some distance apart was young boy on the ground panting to get his breath back. His chocolate brown eyes glowed with shed tears, his mouth hanging open in shock

The boy and the girl walked towards one another, nothing existed that the parallel paths that took them together years ago and today would not make a difference.

Star blue eyes took into his appearance, her lips curving into a smile that made the boy's heart to start beating rapidly in his chest until they were mew inches apart.

"Hey"

Marco was the very first to break the silence.

The safe and insecure kid that she remembered was gone, it seemed yesterday when her carriage dropped into Echo Creek, terrorizing the crap out of the boy in the red hoodie and in the end, he offered something that nobody had ever given her, comfort and understanding. In front of her stood a confident young man with a heart of gold. Her Marco began as a stickler for rules and overly cautious overactions and a professional whiner with zero confidence to get what he wanted or even voice his real feelings. Both had influenced each other and completed their personalities. While her misunderstood view of the world had gotten her into so much trouble, she could see how Marco had influenced her to keep on track and when to take things seriously and do her duties and, in the end, he gave her the strength she need it to do so.

"Hi."

It came too fast for them to realize fully what was really happening. One moment they were standing right there, smiling and gazing into each other eyes and in less than the blink of an eye, they had tackled each other in a bone crushing hug. Against all odds, Marco had been faster, tackling Star that would've made any Johansen to buff his chest in joy, ignoring how his bruises had flared up after the fall, they seemed inconsequent now. All the carnage, the violence of war, the pain and the raw agony to never see each other exploded.

The teens tightened their hold into one another, crying tears of joy and sharing their joyful hearts just like they had done in the face of adversity. Slowly, brown eyes seek her blue ones, words were not needed to be said, the teens knew what their partner was communicating by gazing into each other eyes and just like that, the cleaved universe tilted their lips together in a passionate kiss that knew no bounds, not like their first or second kiss, but fresh passion that pumped blood through their bodies, trying to get closer to one another, even if their bodies were hanging for dear life against one another. Nothing mattered but the taste of their lips and the comforting warmth of their loved one. Even as perfect as this moment was, they were still living beings that needed oxygen. Gasping and separating slightly, the teens laid there on the ground with silly grins tugged on their faces and their foreheads joined, never willing to let go of each other ever again.

Marco traced her heartless cheeks, frowning as he gazed once more into her cerulean eyes.

"Star…your cheek marks, they're gone."

She giggled slightly rolling her eyes. Of course, always an insightful and a person to state the obvious.

"Well…yeah, the magic is gone Marco…we…destroyed it." She said with some doubt, as if she couldn't believe herself that it had happened. The wind knocked her long blonde hair against his face as Star turned her head to look around.

"Marco look!"

Grumbling from underneath her tangle of hair, he struggled to remove it from his face making Star to snort in laughter, flickering her hair with a tilt of her head, she took his face between her fingers and forced him to sat up. Both joined cheeks as their eyes widened in astonishment.

"Woah…" They said in unison.

The hues of the sky were the most beautiful shade of purplish and pink streaks across the sky, just the Northern lights hitting the horizon, mixing with the streak of a curtain of stars that coated the sky. The Earth moon seemed dwarfed in comparison to the three Mewni moons hovering in the sky. The hilly mountains of Echo Creek and tall mountains of the former kingdom of Mewni surrounded the couple, as well as crystals and the pine forest that had surrounded the Eastern borders of the kingdom. The destroyed ruins of the former Butterfly castle loomed in the distance with the river now cutting through the middle of Echo Creek, just as well as the smoking ruins of the Monster Temple with most of the kingdom covered in plumes of thick brown smoke after the battle with the now defeated Solarian warriors. Yet, a mix of the Earth architecture sprouted as far as the eye could see. They had the Mall Strip next to them and the main street road broke at the middle in two, joined by the Medieval pavement road that guided into an unseen path in the forest towards the Mewman side.

Their eyes took into the insane combination of their two worlds, all along the fauna and species exploring their new surroundings, to the horror of several residents who were running in terror with their arms held high in the air.

The sound of giant footsteps interrupted their moment, immediately Marco stood up in front of his girlfriend with a scowl, tilting his body in a combat posse, growling at whatever threat was coming their way. The teen opened his senses, yet blinked as a giant red feet crushed pine trees, opening a trail to revel a multitude of friendly faces that took the teens by surprise, riding on Eclipsa's monster husband shoulders and forearms. The moment he found the teens, he started shrinking down with the multitude of friends and allies climbed down from him.

Moon climbed down Globgor's shoulder without even being close to the ground effortlessly, ignoring the new environment. The moment the concerned mother saw her daughter, Star shot past Marco hugging her mother for everything that was worth, squeezing as she laughed in happiness. An amused Eclipsa came from the multitude of people surrounding the happy mother and daughter as she held her own daughter across her chest.

"Well Star…" The former Queen of Darkness began, her eyes observing the insanity of it all, never seeing Earth herself. "It seems we're in a mix of the place that your Boo is from…and Mewni. Care you explain what really happened after you fell back down into the well of magic?"

The blonde sighed.

"We…we stayed together." She spoke just as Marco came behind her, wrapping his right hand possessively across her stomach, pushing her against him. It was an unwritten rule in the Marco personality script to never do PDA, but right now, he preferred to throw the caution to the wind and send it to hell. Star briefly looked gazed at him in wonder at the unexpected but not unwelcomed actions of her lover, biting her lips and blushing at the message they were sending to the crowd.

Numerous voices broke into an AWWWWWWW's at the display.

Moon in particular eyes softened, a small smile tugged at the display from her daughter and at the magnificent young man that she knew was more than a match for the spitfire of her daughter.

"There was a portal." Both of them said at the same time, looking at each other in surprise. Wasn't the weirdness from the Blood Moon over?

Marco cleared his throat. "We both rushed towards the portal and there was this massive explosion and that's when we found each other in this crazy world…it is…it is…" He didn't know what to think of it.

"Pure chaos." Moon finished with them, though her eyes observed the new world around them, it softened when she gazed at how her words had seemingly push them together. "This…this is something else entirely, with the kingdom in ruins after the battle and now, this?" She spread her arms widely, opening her mouth to think of something else to say, but nothing came to mind, almost like if she had forgotten her personality once more.

Star looked all around into their new world, gazing in a mix of wonder and fear of what waited for her people. It had taken countless battles, sleepless nights of effort to finally bring the separation and xenophobia that had ruled over Mewmans and Monsters for a millennia and now, for her own wishes for happiness, had she set up a catastrophe waiting to happen?

As if sensing her nightmarish thoughts, Marco held her closer, pecking at her cheek, immediately calming down her fears, both gazing into each other eyes.

"It'll be alright, my people are understanding." He looked at the assorted mix of Mewmans, Monsters and the crowd of humans that looked around, pouring from the city. "Citizens of this new Earth. I am not sure what happened but…we must stablish order to see where we stand." He looked at the Mayor of their city, coming through the crowd escorted by the weirded-out police department. "We must convey a meeting in the town hall as soon as possible. We have so much to talk about…and with the rest of the country, unless it was just Echo Creek that joined with Mewni"

"I agree." The Mayor looked around, his gaze staring at the strange sight of the Dragoncycles as they roared the skies in a flock, heck even the sky was different. "We must set a meeting with the government and…a representative of yours?"

Moon nodded at the Mayor before she looked at the young boy in front of her, impressed at how Marco was taking the warnicorn right by the horn.

The skies opened up with a screech of a giant eagle that soared through the skies across the crowd, terrifying it beyond their biggest fears.

"Sorry about that!" A voice screamed from above the heavens before the giant Eagle made another pass and gracefully landed in front of Moon.

"Is that a talking bear riding an eagle?! The end is nigh!" Someone screamed making the Johansen to scoff, turning to the crowd.

"Have you never seen a hunter wearing his kill?! What kind of world is this?!" He shook his fist at them before the annoyed form of Moon moved to him, dropping the hood of his bear suit down. The Johansen couldn't resist the eyes of pure adoration in his face to show through. "Moonpie" He hugged her tightly against his barrel chest, earning a sigh of happiness from the woman before she could get her composure back, patting his back reassuringly.

Rolling his eyes at her husband, she sighed, facing the motley crew.

"Shall we have a meeting in two hours?" She asked the Mayor with a resigned sigh. Tired as she was of everything, she couldn't crumble in the face of disaster, she was Queen Moon The Undaunted and her duties to her people would never end, until the last day she drew breath.

"We shall escort you Miss…?"

"Moon." They shook hands firmly.

The old Police Chief looked at the insanity of the situation and then at the young Star Butterfly who shily waved back. More amused than terrified, the old man laughed muttering something about the magic of life before retiring for the moment back to his patrol car.

"Be a dear and help me control those undisciplined trouble makers?" Eclipsa spoke to her husband, looking at the assorted rampaging bigger monsters running over the Echo Creek.

"You got it! Daddy is gonna work!" With a wave, he gained his massive weight, immediately spotting a giant family of Monsters who were hesitating to jump over the river to their home. "Hey you!"

As the former Queen of Darkness and Meteora waved their daddy goodbye, she approached the new couple. "As for you two…how about you take the day off?"

Marco and Star looked conflicted; worry started to get a control of his mind, Star quickly tightening her hold of him to reassure him that everything would be alright, trusting the older Butterfly.

They were quickly waved off by Eclipsa.

"Marco and Star, I understand your concern, I really do…this is something else and trust me, I have seen my share of craziness over my years. But you've done so much for the kingdom and now, a new challenge is in the distance…however, you two need a break, take a few days off. Let us handle this, at least what remains of the kingdom… isn't that right Moon, dear?" She asked, her tone dropping to an icy and cold anger, throwing her a look that spoke volumes.

The silver haired woman gazed back with equal distrust, just as the former king River looked between the two women. It only took feeling the sad and imploring gaze of her daughter to break the spell. Finally sighing, she nodded at Eclipsa.

"There's much to be done. Children, we'll catch up, please go to the Diaz household and relax. We got this."

The brown-haired teen looked at both adults before pulling out his dimensional scissors, looking at them with certain longing in his face, remembering every year spend to get them and who made them for him, it seemed that it did not matter anymore since H-Poo had made peace with her fate. Looking at his girlfriend, he smiled just as he put them back into his pocket and took her hand, interlacing their fingers together.

"I guess we're walking."

"Lead the way Mr. Diaz."

"Or…" He stopped them, using his free hand to whistle loudly. Few seconds passed and that's when Star heard it. The roar of a motorcycle engine hummed in the distance, quickly approaching the pair. Squinting her eyes, Star looked in surprise as a dark shape materialized across the skies, a dragoncycle landed in front of them, huffing her nostrils and reeving its internal engine. Laughing in happiness, the teenager placed his hands lovingly on her head, patting her horns as the dragoncycle rubbed against his hair. "I missed you too Boo-Boo."

Star laughed, placing her hands on her hips.

"Shall I be jealous?"

Chuckling, he parted his tender gaze from his companion towards the love of his life.

"You tell me." He grinned, gassing Nachos horns, the deep throttle of her engine purring to life as Marco looked at her amused, patting the empty space on her saddle. Laughing with excitement, the bubbly girl hopped on, giggling with excitement.

"I've never ridden on these before…BUT IMMA DYING TO. GIVE ME SPEEED!"

He was eager to please her, letting go of the natural space between his dragoncycle ribs and cracking her horns open, deep lacerations were left on the concrete as her tires spikes retracted and spun, tilting the dragoncycle left and right before she straightened out and took off at full speed, sailing through the air, Star laughing all the way out, squealing her lungs out. Smiling, the brown-haired boy looked as they took off, Nachos wings deployed fully, gaining altitude by the passing second, both teens looking as the ground looked smaller and smaller. The brisk air of Echo Creek felt odd, even at that altitude with several brisk of cold mountain air with the weather felt colder rather than the usual fresh Californian sun, almost like if they were back in Mewni, where every day was misty, with gust of winds that could chill your bones, as expected from a Northern and mountain range territory; seemingly now that the Musty mountains were now part of the city, it could somewhat explain it, with the Jaggy mountain ranges tracing a white pattern across the sky, losing their shape with the bright rays of the Californian sun.

Star shuddered at the strange weather, but said nothing, hugging herself tighter against her boyfriend who blushed and smiled just as both craned their neck below.

The lovers awe turned to amazement at the aerial view of the new city. The sight of the entire kingdom of Mewni mixed with the hilly city of Echo Creek was a sight to behold. Several of the dimensions could be seen in the distance, in the hues of mixed pinks, purples and blues that now formed part of the clouds stood the Cloud Kingdom, to the East the Butterfly family castle stood in the middle of what used to be an empty hill over watching the city below and just as the opposite side, the other castles of the numerous royal families still stood tall and proud. The Johansen castle seemed closer than Star remembered but it was a nice addition that they were so close to the bus stop. In fact, she could picture them hollering and scaring the people waiting for the bus half to death and with the Forest of Certain Death so close to them, it would be a natural deterrent for others to wander into. The thought sent a giggle vibrating her very form and it made Marco happy, that was until they passed through the remains of the kingdom, over the Monster Temple.

Destruction, suffering and carnage were the thoughts that came to the teens, with fires ranging from the lower kingdom to the upper kingdom and just as well, many of the corn fields were alight with fire.

They didn't say nothing to each other but both knew they were thinking the same thing. Offering him his right hand, Star took it in a meaningful message that the girl understood perfectly.

As long as they were together, they could accomplish anything.

The Dragoncycle did another pass through the city before Marco decided that it was enough, slowly kicking the hybrid lower ribs and de-accelerating, taking her down and easy towards the Diaz household, landing gracefully in their backyard where a strange sight waited for them.

Against all odds, Ludo and Dennis were currently enjoying a cup of coffee with Marco's parents as they watched the born of a new era. The youngest Diaz blew saliva in the face of the older Avarius making Ludo to hiss in annoyance, yet he also peeked up at the arrival of his former enemies.

"Marco, Star! I didn't expect you guys so soon!" The Matriarch of the family smiled just as her husband took her by the hips with a smile plastered on her face.

"Hmmm, this was a rather a quick visit. I expected to visit Mewni if you had fixed all issues, but this is a better in my opinion." Rafael laughed just as the teenagers waved in greeting.

"HEEEEY!" Star smiled with 1000 wats smile at the couple. While Rafael had been openly supportive for Star, her favorite was Angie. She was like her second mother to her; while her own mother had seemed callous most of her time, she need that running a kingdom had taken a toll on her…yet she didn't appreciated doubting of her for her entire life, preferring to leave her for the majority of time in the care of servants and warriors, while she learned every knack of combat from them, it had left her most of the time feeling that she had deserved more, filling her frustrations with rebellious acts or escapades with Ponyhead. She didn't deny that running a kingdom was a full-time job, but she remembered usually the unhappy meals shared with her parents. Moon had always looking down at her, frowning at her rebellious and unfocused nature, telling her to focus and stop day dreaming and always dismissing her, chiding at her for expressing her opinions on a matter where tradition and proper etiquette was expected, trying to mold her like a toy doll.

She had changed, or she believed she had…but now, she wasn't so sure anymore. Star and her mother still had a lot to talk about when they could sit down and talk proper.

But Angie? The woman was like a supermom. She was everything that Moon wasn't. She was kind hearted and full of support, she always had time, even if she was dealing with home issues, talking to her in a way that a mother and a daughter should talk, always bringing concern and tact to her, telling her that messing up was part of growing up and she shouldn't be ashamed of it in contract with her own mother, who nick picked at every little mistake she had ever done, no matter what, she was never satisfied with most of the things she had done. Angie had taught her so many things, from cooking, to the joy of the simple things.

Marco helped Star down the dragoncycle, naturally taking her hand, making everyone to gasp in surprise. A snicker rose from Angie as she extended her hand towards her nervous looking husband.

"Well husband of me, it seems you owe me one Benjamin."

"But…but! Star and demon boy were so sad after their break up I thought…"

Angie said nothing, flickering her fingers for emphasis. Sighing, the older Diaz grumbled to himself and smashed a bill into her waiting hand. Pocketing her prize, she embraced the children that meant everything to her, with Rafael joined after, the family embracing in a warm hug of comfort that immediately put Star mind's at ease, rubbing her cheek happily against the woman's brown locks. However, she eyed the shorter Avarius, who waved at her politely.

"Well, hello Star Butterfly."

"Ludo…what an unexpected surprise…and who is that?" The golden-haired girl asked, pointing over the pile of hugs.

At being addressed, the taller bird demon bowed low with his head.

"Dennis Avarius, at your service Star Butterfly. I am Ludo's younger brother…he has spoken with high praise towards you."

"Woah, Ludo is older?" Even Marco seemed surprised. "Well I'll be damned."

The older Avarius glared at them, not appreciating in the slightest where they were going for, his height had always been a soft spot for him.

Angie cleared her throat.

"Now, now children, that is not the way to treat our guess here isn't it?"

Preferring to stick to her rules, rather than upset Angie, both teens nodded, playing along for now.

"Good." The brown-haired woman smiled. "Now, I am making lunch…you must be starving."

The deep grumble coming from Star's stomach informed everyone that this was an incredible idea. Unashamedly she patted her stomach, rubbing her shoe behind her and looking away with a blush.

"Well with everything that happened…we kind of forgot to eat."

Wrapping his arm around his girlfriend shoulder he shook his head.

"Shall me, my princess? Thy nourishment awaits."

Nothing had changed since the last time they were here. The warm and welcoming homey feeling that Star felt since the moment she set foot on the Diaz household immediately made her smile. So many happy memories, so many unforgettable episodes that sent Star to memory lane. Her life, while not horrible she always felt misunderstood. Across the years while rebelling against authority and the mold of a perfect princess, she thought that she was really happy, yet Earth and Marco proved her wrong. After all these years, the person who welcomed her with open arms, who understood her, appreciated her company and understood her on a level that she couldn't understood herself was there. Picking her up, listening and beating sense into her when she got too stubborn for her own good. She just wished that she had sobered up for the truth way before all the sorrow and her broken heart happened, going as far as to quell her feelings into Tom, forcing herself to like him to alleviate the gut-wrenching pain she felt into her soul. Thinking that eventually he would make him forget about Marco…but it never happened, hurting them both in the process, she owed him a big apology. If only she could delete a single year of her life, back before she had to leave for Mewni, so many things could've been avoided…yet.

She was really happy now.

Her cerulean eyes sparkled with love and a certain level of mischief that Marco caught on. For a moment, Marco was more than ready to repeat the events of the reunion, before a small hand slapped his cheek, breaking the spell.

"Ow" He complained rubbing his cheek. In front of him stood Angie with an amused expression on her face and a laughing Mariposa, clapping her small hands at the deed she had done. Amusedly, Star broke into an amused grin finally sitting down, all the while the Avarius brothers looked highly uncomfortable before Mr. Diaz motioned at them to sit down.

Ludo smiled looking at the house with awe. It reminded him of everything he had lacked growing up.

"You have a beautiful home Mrs. Diaz." He praised her, next to him Dennis nodded with a small smile.

The woman laughed. "Call me Angie. And why thank you Ludo."

"Ah…the memories." The monster closing his eyes with amusement. "It seemed just yesterday when me and my band of monsters were here almost everyday to steal Star Butterfly wand and then we got our tushie's handed to us by the princess and her boyfriend."

_By the corn_. Thought Star with a cringe, it certainly was not a welcoming talk about past enemies just when they just got out off a war and it seemed that Dennis caught on as well, elbowing his brother lightly.

"Oh but well, we are all past that, since…you know, it seems that the world changed completely with a literal big boom, this is why I am here. It seems that with you two, you always have an answer to whatever craziness happens around…now, would you mind telling us?"

Star was more than impressed by his calm demeanor. Where was the little fella that screamed to the high heavens and tried more than once to kill her? It seemed that finally Ludo had earned his peace.

Angie and Rafael exchanged a look, giving the small Avarius a nod, while they have also expressed their need of a solid explanation, they were quite not in a hurry to force the teens to answer.

"Well, it did cross my mind." Said Mrs Diaz, placing plates of tacos, nachos and fried chicken on the table while Rafael served everyone fresh cold tea.

The smell was exclusively divine. The Avarius brothers took a deep whiff of the food, shuddering as hunger took them to almost gorge on the items on the table, barely holding back.

Marco and Star exchanged a look, slowly their hands intertwined under the table, nodding solemnly at each other.

"Maybe later I can explain in detail, suffice to say that magic is gone, for good."

Ludo stood still, crossing his small arms, an eyebrow shooting in surprise.

"What do you mean gone? As in…gone-gone?"

"Yup." Star said, equally crossing her arms. "Gone-gone." She pursed her lips. "For generations it has corrupted thousands and had been the cause of so much suffering and death in all of Mewni's history, so…" She popped a cheesy nacho in her mouth, swallowing with gusto before she continued talking. "We destroyed it."

"And that big explosion that we heard?" Rafael exclaimed with awe at Star words.

A soul wrenching pain attacked the teens for a moment, the fresh memories of lying in each other arms, through the turbulent storm and sitting still in that green goo, waiting for oblivion to take them both together was still very fresh in their minds. To think that for a second time, they had been more than ok to stay together, in life and death. Squeezing her warm and soft hand, Marco made her feel slightly better, their expressions finding solace in each other's company.

"We are never letting go of each other, with the magic destroyed, there was no way for me to stay in Mewni, I think that our final wish was to never be apart from each other. If this is the universe way of making our wish came true, then so be it, I could never be apart from my beautiful Estrella." The boy threw a look of pure love to the blonde girl who's cheeks exploded in red and made her heart to swell a sized higher, beating fast and hard in her chest, wishing she could just smash him on the table and make out right there but she composed herself, just tilting her head and placing her on his shoulder.

Marco's parents smiled, completely happy for of them.

"Geez, finally." Ludo smirked to himself, astonishing the couple in front of him. "I thought it would take you too maybe more years to realize that."

"Brother." Dennis threw him a warning.

"Bah, it was obvious. They were always throwing each other goo-goo eyes."

The teens blushed, looking away.

More than amused, Angie just shook her head.

"Well, how about we dig in?"

There was no room for denying that request.

Ludo immediately regretted not knowing Echo Creek years ago the moment the shell touched his beak and down his throat. The delicious beef, vegetables and melty cheese was welcoming change than surviving on scraps, boiled corn and porridge. It was a match made in heaven, together with that tasty and sort of spicy triangle food that they named nachos, it was something out of this world. His brother was in equal pleasure, never knowing that food could taste so good.

Like they were devouring it, it seemed like they had never eaten a real meal, observed Star as she ate her chicken taco and he didn't seem so bad, even asking her earlier that day as she rushed to the portal if she wanted to play. She had time now to deal with these things, but maybe in a later date, she needed to decompress from the battle. And what a better way than the boy sitting on her left.

"Thank you for the mind-blowing food again Miss Diaz! It was delicious, like always!" She patted her stomach for emphasis making the woman to smile. "Do you need help with the dishes?"

"Please, let us help you, it is the best than we can do after inviting us to eat your food." Dennis, always the gentleman said.

Star clapped her hands. "Ok then, Marco can you come with me for a little, bitty sec?"

He smiled. "Uh, sure. Can we be excused?"

"Of course, mijo, we'll be here knowing your former enemies. It seems time for change, yes?" Rafael smiled to the appreciation of Ludo and his brother. As they went upstairs, Angie watched them go with a small knowing smile.

Sighing, the teens shook their heads at the insanity of it all, shaking their heads and then laughing together. Marco took her hand, guiding her upstairs. How long has it been since he had been here? The floor had been repaired since Star's tower disappeared, the guess room had been divided in two, given the fact that there was an extra door and he presumed that the latter was Mariposa's baby room. But at least the hole was completely gone, yesterday it seemed like the vacuum that Star's departure left in his heart. He shook his head at the memories and opened the door to his room. His mom had done a great job…everything was spotless and in its right place.

Star hummed with a smile, remembering all their good moments as she watched with appreciation the details that made Marco…her Marco. She had been there so much that she had remembered every single detail when she recreated his room back in the Monster Temple, which still remained there, maybe it had been untouched by the Solarian warrior's destruction, but that was something for another day. The moment she saw his bed, she threw herself on his bed with a giggle, sighing in relaxation. Amusedly, Marco sat down on the edge of it.

Star winked at him and with a surprising amount of ease taken from her Johansen genes, wrapped her hands around his stomach and forced him to lie down next to her. Chuckling, the boy wrapped his arms around her, cuddling with her for the first time willingly with nothing stopping them from doing so, both teens humming in pure enjoyment. It felt right to have her against him. How long had he had denied the right?

The right to be completely honest with his feelings.

Her diamond eyes looked at his chocolate ones and slowly, Star rotated until she was facing him. She could feel his heartbeat accelerating her into his chest, just as hers, feeling the softness of his breath coming out in slow puffs. Slowly, she cut the distance and kissed him. There was no hesitation from Marco's part, immediately pulling her closer to him, molding her body against his, fitting so well together. With Jackie he had always felt clammy and unresponsive at the physical aspect of their short relationship, like walking on seashells. But with Star such notions were gone from his system, equally kissing her with a fervor that impressed the girl, tasting his lips with a vigor that sparked feelings that she wished she could hold back from igniting.

He was the light in her life. When she thought that her star had dimmed, her Marco, the sun of life glowed through the bleaker darkness that had turned into her life and his fire was burning her from inside out and she didn't need a stupid blood moon to feel the tug of her soul to his own. Slightly suckling on his lower lips, she went on the assault, her hands roaming his stomach, growling at how firm it had grown since he started training into knighthood and using plate armor, observing him in the training fields, filling her with a heat that had left her even more confused than ever while still dating Tom, unable to be honest with her own feelings. Now it had come down to her with a vengeance, a slight moan came from her throat the moment she felt his own fingers exploring her stomach, just as hers were doing with his firm torso as their lips meet again with force, her fingers grabbing his hoody and bringing her as close as it was physically possible. In a move that surprised them both, his fingers had started a small trek in the valley of her breasts, his fingers tracing through the white material of her blouse and just like that, the fire spread to her lower regions and she started panting like warnicorn in heat, wanting nothing more than tear down his clothes right here.

It could've been so easy and quick yet, she slowed down her breathing, enjoying the small kisses that Marco pelted her cheeks with. Slowly, they both smiled at each, giggling at how her cheeks were so red.

"Ya know…" Marco caressed her gold locks. "You might not have hearts in your cheeks, but I can always see them with how much you're blushing Star."

The blonde giggled, burying her face into his hoodie and taking a healthy sniff of his manly aroma that almost sent her into another lusty frenzy but she relaxed once more, her fingers tracing a line on the zipper of his hoodie.

"Well, the day is still young. We can maybe continue where we left of at a later time…maybe if you go out with me."

Marco chuckled.

"Like a date?"

"Boop!" She tapped his nose. "Of course, like a date ya dork."

A pang of regret went through Marco of not doing this earlier but now, they could finally make up for the lost time.

"Nothing would make me happier than go out with you, mi Estrella." He said earning her another blush. "Meet you in half an hour downstairs? I don't know you about you but I reek."

She smirked, giving him a seductive look. "I think you smell like something I could eat up and have seconds." She licked her lips, enjoying how much power she had over him making him squirm and shudder without any control, using her last shred of self-control to stood up from his embrace and back on the floor, leaving a wave of disappointment through both but she dismissed it, saving it for tonight.

"Thiiirty minutes Mr. Diaz. See ya in a bit." She started to walk out his room, putting a show for him as she retreated with an extra sway of her hips that immediately made the boy to lock his gaze inappropriately to the dance of her hips and her enticing butt. As soon as the door clicked shut, the spell was broken down, with the boy lying on bed with the biggest smile on his face.

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**A/N: **And so it begins. Please review and send PM's with questions.

D4rK


	2. Slow Ride

**A/N: **I am glad that so many enjoyed the very first chapter, which made me crack up the second one at a faster rate. Please enjoy.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 2.**

Slow Ride.

_*INITIATING REBOOT*_

_*WAITING*_

_*ERROR, UNIFFICIENT POWER*_

_*ERROR, PARTS MISSING*_

_*DATA BANKS RESTABLISHED*_

_*REROUTING POWER TO CPU*_

_*SUCCESS, PLEASE WAIT*_

_*REBOOTING COMPLETE*_

A singular pale orange eye blinked in the darkness, blinking with a sound of loud servos. Several screens feed information towards blinking consoles, briefly illuminating the body of a scarred troll connected with several tubes and wires fed into its opened skull, a purplish brain throwed with activity. The troll grunted, blinking its only eye and looking into the room cloaked in darkness. It looked like something that the he had seen before, in a time far, far away from here. It tried to move its limbs but found himself unable to do. Tilting its deformed skull, he saw that his limbs were bind to the stretcher and not even his thick steel prosthetic seemed enough to break him free. Ramming his head back unto the stretcher with a loud bang, it seemed unaffected to his current predicament.

He knew that whoever had done to him would soon be face to face. Several minutes later, his ears perked at the sound of approaching footsteps. Given the fact that that the footsteps resounded with unequal frequency, he deduced that two set of individuals were coming, just behind him.

"Gemini."

The troll blinked, hissing now with a clench of teeth in his underbite jaw, saliva dripping through his thick and misshapen teeth, his only eye trying shifting to an acidic yellow, turning to the right where he sensed the footsteps to have stopped, briefly illuminating his missing left eye and a jagged, misshaped and poorly stitched tissue.

"Baaagh! Untie me this instant you wretched fool." The troll snarled fighting against his bindings to not veil. It left out an angry hiss through clenched teeth. "Where I am? How do you know my name?" The troll torso jumped up angrily. "Where is Miss Heinous?!"

The figure laughed deep and long, ending in a breathy and terrifying take of breath. The troll cyborg shuddered in repulsion, squinting his eye.

"What do you want with me? Where is Miss Heinous?! Answer me!"

"You mean Meteora?" Two white gloves slammed next to his head, the computers glow barely illuminating the glow of two pink eyes glowing in the darkness, sharp teeth curving up in a sadistic display of a smile. "She's long dead. A lot of things have changed Mr. Gemini."

The troll gaze softened into a pale orange, shaking his head in disbelief.

"No, you're lying. She…she can't be gone."

"Oh, but she is." The white gloves tapped his skull, making the troll to shudder, not liking the touch of the figure. "But enough about her, I woke you up for a reason Doctor." The steps faded further away in the cavernous room with something heavy being lifted and dragged slowly back towards where he was. The object slammed next to him and he jumped into his bindings with something heavy slamming on him with enough force to dent his artificial torso. Briefly he looked towards his own chest. A pink rhombus laid now on his body, its shape was still perfect, even if it was an object that he hadn't seen in over four hundred years.

The figure laughed cruelly, a white glove tracing patterns on the carved lightning on the pink stone.

"I know you recognize this.

Gemini pursed his lips. "It was part of the Solarian experiments, the very first ones."

"Ding, ding, ding…quite correct Doctor…the ones you led before your…unfortunate accident." The figure chuckled. "Centuries ago, Queen Solaria came to you to help her in the war effort against that vermin, in a way to modify a Mewman far beyond its capabilities. Super strength, speed, endurance and the ability to gain accelerated healing, just like the Septarians." The hands slammed on the table again, this time Gemini jumped high enough to see the glimpse of a pale face with glowing pink eyes, female in kind before the figure walked away a few feet away. "But you failed."

"It was too much of an ambitious project…I wanted more time but she didn't give it to me!" Protested the troll. The figure fell silent, not saying anything for a few minutes. The silence was too unnerving for him. "Besides…how do you know this? That information was highly classified, everything was destroyed…including."

A snort of laughter was heard.

"Including you. I mean…" The stranger chuckled. "It was a complete failure. The prisoners, I mean, the _volunteers _that we chose smashed their heads against the walls after what the serum did to their minds, deformed limbs, the lost of consciousness, reduced to mindless drones with the hunger for killing and tearing flesh from bone, without a way to control them and oh boy, did things got messy." The stranger snorted.

Gemini hissed. "Bah, she was asking for too much for the brief time she had given me! What I was supposed to do?"

An unnatural growl of anger came from the figure, terrifying Gemini into stillness.

"You should've given all of your support to win the war! Now…those filthy monsters roam the surface, unashamedly, living among us into this strange new world." The figure voice distorted as if two voices were speaking at the same time. It breathed long and hard before the smack of two lips was heard behind him. "No matter, Solaria used your research to perfect a spell, a spell that turned us, the rightful rulers of this world, the ones who bled in the battlefields against those filthy beasts, us, the Mewmans and now that is even lost."

Someone cleared their throat.

"Dear, please get to the point." A pompous voice was heard somewhere behind him.

"You mind your place!" Barked the stranger across the room, before her hands slowly started crawling to his skull, fingers tapping the walls that housed his brain. "I am in need of your knowledge Doctor, somewhere here." The stranger tapped Gemini's brain with enough force to make him scream in agony. "Is the key to bring back Mewni to its rightful owners and conquer all the filthy vermin that forcefully made us join with this mud planet."

"I…I don't understand." Gemini implored, mouth opening and closing as agony flared through his brain.

"Revenge Doctor, it is revenge what I want…I want you to restart your research before your unfortunate accident. We can provide the materials and everything you might need to restart the Solarian program until its completion, where I shall double the reward that Queen Solaria offered you in the first place."

Gemini didn't know what to say.

The figure laughed darkly. "Don't you want to punish those that took Miss Heinous away? The filthy vermin that dared to be born in this world? With your help, I can purge them from the face of the universe. It is the only option that I give you, consider this an act of mercy, my only one in hundreds of years, say no and I'll dig tear the answer outta your skull like a hot spoon through ice cream."

Gemini considered his options. He remembered being deactivated by the stranger in which Miss Heinous had turned herself into…this Meteora person was everything that she wasn't. She died the moment they found that disgusting room in that temple, ever since that day, she had shifted into someone that he didn't recognize or feel love for. He hadn't been courageous enough to reject her help, after all, she had been the only one he had ever known for centuries after his reactivation.

The troll grunted. "I accept, Doctor Gemini Bennett will help you…we shall destroy those that made even possible to take Miss Heinous from me…if we're going to working together, how may I call you and how do you know all of this?"

The pink eyes glowed. "Never mind about the name Doctor, as for this partnership, I might to do several adjustments." The figure started cackling, holding a sharp spike connected to a cable. "Now lie down…" The figure snorted at its own joke. "This will hurt a little tad." The spike came down into the brain of Gemini, blood curling screams echoing in the darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A gloved purple hand held a cup of coffee with the pinky extended before bringing it to her lips, taking a small sip with a hum of appreciation at the taste.

The figure of Eclipsa with her hair down and dressed with a dark gray blouse with puffy shoulder pads and a long black skirt with half-moons and stripes detailed into the fabric relaxing into the comfortable seat with a small smile gracing her features, placing the cup back unto its plate.

In front of her lay the former Queen Moon, dressed in her simple village clothing tapping her legs against the carpeted floor, looking at the clock on the wood walls of the office where they were currently in. Tapping her fingers against the armchair, she sighed, swapping legs and bouncing that one instead.

Two purple eyes squinted against Moon, an eyebrow rising in annoyance.

"Would you please stop making that noise?"

Moon immediately shot her an angry retort with her gaze.

"How can you be so relaxed while the entire world is in taters?" Barked the silver haired woman, her arms akimbo, cringing her teeth with an angry hiss.

Eclipsa just shrugged without a care, further relaxing into the armchair, bringing the scowl of Moon to dangerous levels of a fury that only she could possess.

"Didn't the late Glossaryckk told you that things come at their own pace?" Eclipsa chided, taking another sip of the wonderful latte in her hands. "You don't think that these people are also dealing with the shock of all of this? The Mayor might be in there, coddled in his office being barked at a thousand people at once to explain the situation, so the only thing we can do is sit tight and wait." Eclipsa explained it to here as if she was a child, a thing that Moon caught on, angrily throwing her a murderous look. "Besides…we're rather dealing with the _pieces_ of Mewni first, rather than the rest of this world."

Moon hissed through her clenched teeth.

"What are you implying?"

Eclipsa crossed her legs, setting her cup down. "You made this happen, you destroyed the kingdom that we worked so hard to build." The former Queen of Darkness was done playing nice, now she was finally going to say her piece and everything that had remained under wraps.

Moon stared at her; her eyes lost its angry spark. Instead, she did something that stupefied the former Queen of darkness, she laughed. For long agonizing seconds, Moon laughed cruelly, her mocking cackle making Eclipsa expression to turn murderous, her gloved fists shaking with fury.

"You poor deluded fool, me? I might have been the catalyst, but the reaction would've still been the same if I hadn't intervened…the people of Mewni hated your guts and rightfully so." She nastily told her, enjoying her anger. "You forcefully integrated monsters into society and ran people away from their ancestral homes. I did what I did for the future of Mewni and its survival, all you did was take a foolish path…I should've just told Rhombulus to freeze you again".

Eclipsa's anger faded, looking through the window of the office, abstinently looking as those flying cylinders with wings to pour water over the raging fires after the battle.

"Is that what you really think?"

Moon rolled her eyes. "Of course."

Eclipsa's eyes turned downwards, her expression looking completely downcast, her hands fell into her lap.

"Then you destroyed your daughter efforts. All her hard work, gone in moments."

At the mention of Star, the former Queen gaze softened, tilting her head in confusion.

"What of Star? This was all your doing."

Eclipsa lifted an eyebrow, her mouth opening in an expression of surprise. "You mean she never told you?"

Moon scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You mean questioning me on advice so you could do a proper job as a Queen? Plenty of times, wasted words I might add. You were a poor Queen back then and you were a poor choice for Mewni"

If only, Eclipsa's eyes turned sadder, even shedding a tear before she took a handkerchief out of her pocket and rubbed her eyes.

"Oh Moon, how cold-blooded you are." Eclipsa lowered her eyes to her lap. "The kingdom didn't fall apart only because of Star."

Lifting an eyebrow, the former Queen uncrossed her arms and just like that, Eclipsa had her full attention.

"Your daughter spent countless nights working to end a millennium of bigotry, xenophobia and hatred that has plagued Mewni for generations. The daughter you refuse to recognize as a regal young woman with her heart on her people, full of kindness and courage. She became a leader that inspired others to do what is right and brought us closer to a new era where everyone was a Mewman and the kingdom started prospering, unified by understanding that we're all individuals in this life and that the only way to go forth was to unify so we could close that violent chapter and begin anew." Her fists shook as anger took hold of her once again. "The daughter that you refused to acknowledge her capabilities and her iron will, the one you called childish, always refusing to acknowledge her. Do you know how many times I found her inside the royal archive, passed out in a book?"

Moon eyes shot up in surprise in disbelief.

"Oh yes…she learned and memorized the entire constitution and the complete structure of our laws in days. Refusing to go to bed even after an entire day spent reading and researching, only that sweet boy Marco could make her take a rest, so then she could do it again and again the very next day. Finding every single loop hole of the Mewni's constitution and laws to give basic rights for monsters. So they could stop being treated as second class citizens. Challenging your own Butterfly family and other representatives in countless royal meetings, playing the political ball while dealing with my own problems, her own to find herself and the entire difficulties of the kingdom"

For every word, the expression on Moon worsened in disbelief, her heart lodged into her stomach, unable to say anything to defend herself.

"You don't know how it was like to see her in action. Her eyes were fierce, taking charge against every challenge of her goal. It didn't matter what it was, she charged straight on like a Johansen berserker, shrugging every comment and tearing a new one into anybody that dared to question me or the decrees that passed to make the unification of the kingdom a reality…nothing could stop her." Her eyes sparkled with emotion; a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "She accomplished what nobody in the history of our kingdom had ever done in a matter of a few months. And you missed all of that, you missed watching your Star moment to shine, so you could plot against me and everything that we worked so hard to make it happen…you betrayed your own daughter and you failed your people." Her eyes glowed a deep acidic purple that stunned Moon into not even able to mutter a word, her eyes pupils sharpened into slits. "To think that Moon the Undaunted, the young and desperate child that once seek my help to win a war that seemed unwinnable came to my prison, asking for help…which I provided. I gave everything I had and almost lost my husband TWICE and I killed my own daughter for this kingdom, which revived only because the universe was kind on me. Even centuries after I spend in that disgusting crystal, you still betrayed my trust at the end, because deep down, you're just another power-hungry Butterfly" She spat the last word with disgust, finding almost everything attached to that last name as the filthiest thing that could ever be.

Moon couldn't say anything, sinking further into despair. She shuddered in self-disgust, hugging herself.

"Do you want me to list you the list of casualties to you after the coup? Do you know how many Mewmans died because of your selfish deeds? How many homes were ransacked? How many fields of corn we lost because of your actions? How could you Moon?" Eclipsa was so angry that tears were running down her face. "How could you do this to your people?" She laughed without humor. "You completed what Toffee started all those centuries ago."

Moon looked at her trembling hands, imagining them to be red with the blood of the innocent she had just spilled.

"Star always told me what you thought of her…how ironic." Eclipsa chuckled. "That the daughter that you called a lost cause, an abandon of royal etiquette, a foolish and a reckless teenager without any self-control did exactly what you told her not to do. To think that how a strictly rule bound character fell so low" Now it was her own turn to enjoy sadistically as Moon scrunched her eyes to not spill the tears that were building in her eyes.

The former Queen of Darkness took another sip of coffee to calm her nerves. "No matter now…what is done is done." She said with an air of finality. "Now Mewni is no more…if this is for the good of our people? We shall see to see where we stand now in this new world. Perhaps this is the new beginning that we need to finally close the bloody chapter in our history and begin anew…if we have a kingdom that is and if we do…well…even if we can reform this kingdom, I cannot wait for Star to surpass you and rule Mewni her way." She smiled tenderly. "She has all the tact of a good Queen and some more. I trust her judgement and so did her people while it lasted. I only wish that she has it in her heart to forgive you for what you've done…I know how is like for a daughter to not have her mother and how they could turn out." She looked aside, finally slurping the last of her coffee and remaining silent.

Moments later a woman in a pony tail and fashioned suit entered the room, throwing the two women a kind look.

"Thank you for waiting, the Mayor is ready to see you."

"Why thank you." Eclipsa politely answered with a kind smile before she eyed Moon with a wary eye. "Are you ready?"

Moon took several breaths to regain her composure, slowly standing up.

"Yes."

The secretary waved at the open door.

"Please, the Mayor is expecting you."

Both women slowly made their way inside the office. Eclipsa eyes wandered across the elegant room. Shiny mahogany walls with richer architecture that she failed to recognize but found it very pleasing to the eye. The room had a oak library with many books, a fact that she found herself sharing with the Mayor, finding knowledge as the most basic ability for a society to grow. The office had many awards and many pictures of all types spread through the office. A grand palais style window was in the middle of it, accented with red curtains with gold details, next to it there was a statue of a man named Lincoln which had a big book in front of it like an altar in which Eclipsa read the words US Constitution. What picked her interest was the two flags displayed on top of the regal window, the first one was white with a bear walking on plains with the words California Republic underneath and a small red star at the top left corner and the second one was a blue square with dozens of stars in it while the rest of it was composed of red and white stripes.

Eclipsa could've been exploring the exquisite design in the office if it wasn't for the Mayor standing up to greet them both.

"Welcome to my humble office. I am Mayor Aaron Hammersley. We have so much to discuss, please, sit down. May I have your names?"

Both women sat down without even looking at each other.

"I am Eclipsa Butterfly." The former Queen of Darkness answered, throwing a look at the former Queen who didn't even muttered her own name. Clearing her throat seemed to do the trick.

"I am Moon…Johansen." The silver haired woman said with a frown.

Eclipsa looked at her for a second but didn't said anything.

The Mayor chuckled. "It has been a crazy morning alright. I mean, for me starting my morning with my wife and my kids having breakfast to a national emergency in the spawn of five minutes. I suppose that the very same thing happened to you."

"You might say that." Eclipsa sighed. "In name of the kingdom of Mewni, I must thank you for dousing the fires in our kingdom. There was a nasty battle hours ago."

"Is that so?" He pursed his lips. "Well, I am glad to be able to help. Now ladies…let's get down to business." He pulled a book, randomly opening a page and preparing his pen. "Could you please tell me where you're from? You see, I am trying to paint a picture of our current predicament."

Under the desk, Eclipsa slammed her foot against Moon's one, waking the woman from her stupor.

The former Queen threw her a nasty look but eventually cleared her throat.

"We are from the Kingdom of Mewni. A dimension that encloses many different kingdoms and people. We are a land with centuries of rich history and formerly known for our magic, which was destroyed to in order to save it from aversity."

The Mayor blinked. "Magic you say? You wouldn't be able to be related to this case of a very particular individual in this city, now would you?" He asked, steepling his fingers together and frowning.

Both women looked at each other, lost for words.

"A…let's see." He checked another book in his records. "A Star Butterfly has caused quite a commotion several times in my city…while many of us thought that somebody put drugs in the water supply of the city to see such astonishing events happening in the city. Things that seem impossible and full of wonder, sort of harmless besides the destruction of public property…which racked in the millions of dollars now that I think about it."

Slowly, Moon face palmed herself, shaking her head, feeling an incoming headache coming.

"Oh Star…"

The Mayor cleared his throat.

"Moving on from that. The Governor and the President called me this very morning to inform me of the changes happening all over the world. I mean, it is not exactly a secret." He motioned to his window where the insanity of it all was displayed for all to see. "Things that make no sense, new fauna and sentient species never seen before…even the very definition of Earth characteristics changed, like an alternative reality. From the geography, to our galaxy structure. You see, the planet got…bigger, almost double in size I might add. Nobody seems to understand the ramifications of what this could mean for our country or the world and now, we must spearhead a strategy that can normalize and rationalize the situation before more drastic measures need to be taken." He eyed them briefly with a stone face. "Ladies, I hope you understand what type of measures I am talking about."

"Of course." Moon answered, right in her element. "We are as confused as you are, but here we are, ready to cooperate in any way we can to make sense of this and resolve this matter peacefully…with the unification of our kingdom right in the middle of your territory, we are at a loss of what to make of our stablished territories and the other territory of our subsidiary kingdoms."

The Mayor tapped his fingers on his desk. "Since technically the land isn't part of our territory, we will respect your sovereignty and everything that conveys it and the delicate balance to see where Echo Creek falls into. However, we must have an immediate meeting in the incoming days with the higher powers in our government, we must review every delicate detail. From the creation of borders, a citizen's registry for population control, to a complete organization and history of the species that exist in Mewni…and also the matter of currency."

"The Multiverse Bank possess the ability to use many types of currency. The US dollar was even accepted in our kingdom, money from other dimensions. I believe that 1 Mewman unit of gold coin was equal to approximately five thousand unit of yours." Moon answered.

"And…how fluent is your currency…I mean, how much gold coins do you own in your treasury."

"Well…" Eclipsa tapped her cheek to try and remember the last number that she had seen while budgeting the kingdom expenses. "I believe that we have access to over 8 trillion…that is without counting our industries of farming, precious gems, exports, textiles and other industries in which we share and possess treaties with the other kingdoms for tariff and other liquid assets in our repertory. It is quite simple really."

For a moment the Mayor couldn't answer, slowly, his eyes widened as he wrote down that detail. To think that Mewni possessed a richer GPD to almost top down the US was astonishing feat.

Slowly, he pulled his collar from his shirt, chuckling to himself.

"That is quite a number...so, how about we plan the next meeting with the governor? I believe that this country will get along just fine with Mewni."

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Star hummed herself in the shower, lathering her body from the dirt of the battle, sighing in relaxation at how good it had felt to be in Marco's arms again, her soapy hands running down her legs and stomach, and then dipping between her thighs to wash her flower. The touch sparked memories of the intimacy that she had just shared with her boyfriend, unable to stop the memories and feelings. Whacking herself in the face, she removed the hand between her legs and continued with the shower. Minutes later she got off in a towel, peeking the hallway for any peeping tom around, especially one that began with the letter M…he might not seen like the type of person who would dip to that level, but they had to give baby steps to build their relationship to that level. Opening the door, she cringed and ran like hell towards the new guess room, running like hell away from Marco's room.

"SHOWER'S READY MARCO, GONNA GET DRESSED BOUUUYEEEE!"

Slamming the door to a close, she took a deep breath to ease her beating heart, getting her breath back, her gaze now roaming around the new room.

Since the old guess room had been divided, the room seemed smaller than she remembered. It was almost the same size as the many Monster Temple guess rooms, with a comfy bed, a dresser and a walk in closed. The moment she opened the dresser she had forgotten one simple important detail.

Her clothes were in the Monster Temple and she couldn't exactly appear them since magic was completely gone. Slowly, she groaned, slamming her palms against her face at her own stupidity. Slowly she started to slam her fists against her head at her own idiocy with an enraged grunt.

"Great job dingus." She hissed. "It's not like imma gonna walk in that closed and find my clothes." For emphasis she did it just so she could feel stupider but to her complete astonishment, the closed was full of her outfits and accessories wrapped in protective plastic, with dozens of her shoes, headbands and other things she thought that had lost. Star was flabbergasted, lifting an eyebrow and trying to rationalize how they could've ended up in there. Hadn't she poofed all her belongings before her mother summoned her back to Mewni. Maybe she had forgotten her laundry in the hurry of that crazy and painful night. Slowly, she realized why they were there in the first place.

"Oh Mrs. Diaz…" A small droplet fell from her eye, her heart swelling in love for that woman. They were there because Angie put them there, as if she hoped that she would return to their household. Star wanted to break down crying at how touched she was but today was not a day for sadness, it was a day for happiness and Star Butterfly was ready to get ready…there's a date she needed to get ready for.

Slowly, the door to Marco's room opened and she froze. Slowly, the footsteps faded and she could finally breathe in relief. Observing her repertory, Star stood there in the nude, she cupped her face with a palm and hummed at the assorted clothes with a judging eye, slowly passing the outfits one by one. Everything needed to be perfect, but so far, all she was seeing were a mixture of her old and usual outfits. While cute and adorable, she wanted something else, something that would catch Marco's attention, something that would make him to drop his jaw without being too revealing or inappropriate, while fashionable but not to the level of a formal attire. She gasped at she found a blouse that she never got to wear with a matching skirt that she had gotten in Marco's favorite color.

He was going to love it!

After dressed in her undergarments of cute hearts and kitties, she put on a white lace blouse with puffy shoulder pads with a white jabot tie and a pink bow. The knee length skirt was a richly colored Prussian blue, with a detachable sash with four buttons, her stripped leggings were a soft pastel white with an assorted stripe of faded pinks, her feet had two puffy short socks with two white stripped snickers with two cute wings on them. To complete her outfit, she selected a head band that she had never wore before, a headband with two pink flowers on them. Satisfied, she sat down on the dresser and started straightening her hair as she hummed, enjoying the simple touch of a brush through her golden locks.

Ever since she had returned to Mewni last year, she had started doing more things by herself, depending on her own ability to do things that normally she would've just used magic for. With the increasing maturity that had been born into her ever since she had taken her duties more seriously, if Earth had shown her something is that there was a special type of magic, and not the magical one, when one made an effort and she could just reap the fruits of her hard earned labor. Placing the brush back on the dresser, she stood up looking at herself from different angles, impressed by how much she had changed in the spawn of a single year. Humming a Mewni drinking song to herself, she placed her headband on her head blowing a kiss to the mirror, already started feeling giddy of how much she was going to enjoy watching Marco to melt into a puddle.

Giggling, she opened the door of the room exiting through the hallway. Slowly her gaze fell into the door of the restroom not hearing anything from it. How odd, she was sure that she had heard Marco opening his room. She didn't want to intrude in his privacy so she decided to make her way downstairs and wait for him instead…which was sort of rude and odd coming from him.

Downstairs.

If Ludo saw the boy one more time passing around the room with a list in his hands, he was sure that he was going to dig a hole in the floor. And there he went again and again and once more, wait he stopped, nope, he kept going.

Amusedly, Angie chuckled at her son antics, bouncing around to relax Mariposa who seemed eager to reach her brother.

"Marco, she'll be down any minute now. Try to relax…"

"Relax?!" He whispered-screamed. "It is our first date, everything has to be perfect, to the utmost perfection, nothing can go be out of place, it's very important."

For the utmost time, he checked himself in the mirror one more time. Marco was wearing a red dress shirt with blue dress pants, brown leather belt with matching brown leather shoes and a soft colored blue handkerchief in his left shirt pocket. He had styled his brown hair with gel.

"Son…" Normally Rafael wouldn't interject in the matters where Angie was involved besides being on the sidelines cheering for his son, but now he had to put his foot down. "You are overthinking it mijo. Star is a senorita that knows what she saw in you. You do not need any fancy lists or expensive restaurants. Star is above anything else your best friend, that makes it a better relation than you could ever hope for." He put his thick and strong arm around Angie, who hummed looking at him lovingly. "How do you think me and your mother get along so well?"

Marco looked away from his list, forcing his brain to function.

"Because you know and trust each other?"

"My, my Marco. You're turning into such a handsome man." Angie giggled at the blush that now governed his cheeks. "Your father is right…you don't need to impress her with expensive things and elaborate get ups. Just do as you've always done…"

"But…but it's a first date." He tried to protest, all the way Ludo and Dennis threw each other confused looks.

Angie chuckled. "And you think that Star fell in love with you because you pampered her with expensive gifts?"

Marco looked into himself. He remembered all their good times together. The picnics, the fun they had pranking each other, the photo booth shenanigans, the junk food they shared while watching tv, basking in each other's company. Slowly, the list fell from his hands, blinking with the realization that his mother was completely right. He didn't need to overthink it, Star never seemed to amaze him. With every antic they shared, through the bad or the worse, Marco was always first her best friend and that would never change. The aspect of their relationship was solidified to another level but now he realized that he didn't needed to change everything…Star picked him for a reason.

Slowly he hugged his parents, a happiness overlapping any doubt that had creeped into his mind.

"Thanks mom and dad. I am lucky to be your son."

The brown-haired woman chuckled. "We are the lucky ones…but don't let us keep you." She said pointing over his shoulder, making her son to turn around.

Slowly, they all heard footsteps from the second floor. The moment that Star came downstairs, Marco gaped at how beautiful she looked. Her fashion always seemed so elaborate and intricated, yet he couldn't help but to drink the sight of her. It was like a vision of heaven, as if he had died, ascended to heaven and came back in less than a second. His brain stopped working the moment her full figure was revealed.

Mariposa looked between the teens before smashing her hand on his cheek with enough force to turn his head to the other side.

"Ow!" He complained, rubbing at his cheek.

Giggling, Mariposa clapped her hands as her parents laughed among themselves. Even the Avarius brothers seemed amused by the whole thing.

Star smiled fully at Marco, her eyes sparkling with joy and love for him. Feeling how Angie was pushing him onwards, he walked on his own standing in front of Star.

"Star, you look so breath taking." He smiled making her blush slightly, waving her hand.

"Aw, thanks Marco but I look like always."

He shook his head. "You mean sparkling with beauty? Hmmm, I think I agree on that one."

Her mind turned to mush at that compliment, immediately, wrapping her hands around his firm biceps, bringing her face forward for a quick and tender kiss around her lips just as the teens wrapped their hands fully against each other. There was a flash that immediately the teens parted from their kiss with a smacking sound just to see a smiling Angie holding her phone. Slowly the teens looked away with a blush covering their faces.

Slowly the parents snickered to each other.

Amusedly, Ludo watched the couple in love and clapped.

"You guys look good, now how about you get stepping?"

"Brother!" Dennis crossed his winged arms, throwing him a look that said _I can't believe you just said that._

"Actually." Marco placated the Avarius brothers. "Ludo's right, time's wasting, Star?" He offered his arm which she took with a giggle, liking more and more how bold Marco had gotten. "Let's go."

There were several voices wishing the couple good luck, waving at them in goodbyes. The Diazes parents looked at each other and broke down crying.

"They grow up so fast!" Rafael hugged his wife as she sniffed looking at a picture of a young Marco above the fireplace.

"I knoooooow!"

Mariposa blew bubbles, patting the heads of her parents just as the Avarius brothers looked at each other.

"Oh…I think it is time for us to go."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **The next chapter will be coming hopefully as soon as I finished this one. I have several plans to reunited the characters that need to go back into the story. If you got questions do not hesitate to ask!

D4rK


	3. A Stroll in Time

**A/N: **I wanted to give these two something memorable from early on to never forget what they mean for each other. I hope you enjoy reading it as I enjoyed it writing this. Please if you enjoy this, don't mind giving me a fav or a review. I would love to read what you guys think.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 3.**

A Stroll in Time.

Marco walked with Star on his right arm, his hazel eyes enjoying how much she was bouncing down the street with an exaggerated step making him chuckle.

"Someone is in a very good mood."

She chuckled. "As expected of muaaa Mr. Diaz." She gave him puppy eyes, shining with excitement and happiness that was contagious.

The boy and the girl shared another laugh.

"Mr. Diaz? Baughh…you kinda make me feel old already." He chuckled, faking being a decrepit old man, goofily walking in a half squat, trembling and shouting his torso upwards. "Ugh my baaack."

Star snorted with laughter, almost knocking him off balance. Both looked at each other and giggled without a care in the world. Wiping a tear from her eye, Star relaxed taking into the sights of the small city.

Echo Creek was almost completely untouched from the cleaved union. The sky colors mixed beautifully with a blend of blues, white and pinkish clouds that made the city to glow with a different light. Slowly they came to a stop, gaping at the sight. As the road dipped down, past the tv store they could see something that immediately put a smile on their faces. Several monsters, Mewmans and humans walked in together, inspecting their new environment and even talking. Some laughed and some preferred to stay their distance. While some groups huddled together, either out of mistrust or pure unaltered fear, especially the confused Mewmans. Some had taken into themselves to pass the insanity to meet these new guests, while the small city was frozen in time.

The former princess immediately broke into a happy smile as if the fruits of her hard-earned labor hadn't been cruelly destroyed by the Solarian warriors, her own mother and Mina. Slowly, Marco slipped his arm off her hand, preferring instead to intertwine his hand with hers. A warm like no other spread through the girl with the gold locks, smiling sweetly at him.

Star was once more falling in love with Echo Creek.

Turning to her boyfriend with a love stuck expression, she sighed, placing her head on his shoulder.

"So, what's the very first stop my boo?" She enjoyed how she made him blush. "Is there something in your extensive list and plans? Should we stop to check our busy itinerary?" She teased him.

Marco rubbed at his head with his other hand.

"Well Star…before I lost it completely with how important our first time needed to be, ugh…I might have done something sort of…crazy" He waved his hand around. "Until someone knocked some sense into me that it shouldn't matter."

Star lost her smile.

"Get out of town…"

The brown-haired boy laughed. "I understand that we're first and foremost, best friends…just because we're together, it will never change that…let's just do what we do best." He smiled sweetly at her.

Star pursed her lips, throwing him a suspicious look.

"You're certainly right there my bestie…but what did you do Marco Ubaldo Diaz? What level of craziness did you just do? Level 1? 2? Or level Ponyhead?"

"I…ugh…" He let go of her hand so he could crawl his face into his hands. "Level 2."

Star blinked, waving her hand around so he could elaborate.

"I sort of spend almost all of my $650 in a reservation for an expensive restaurant for the two of us in downtown."

The former princess blinked in surprise before she shook her head disapprovingly.

"Oh Marco, Marco…you don't need to impress me with fine dinner." She punched his shoulder with a smile. "A pizza or a juicy burger would've been just more than ok."

He grunted, completely ashamed. Marco pouted sadly. "I know that Star, I thought that I would make it more memorable if we started off with a very special place…I think I just ruined our date before it even began."

Star laughed, her warm palms enveloping his face.

"Don't be silly. Besides, you already paid for it, might as well start off by getting some grub." She suddenly smirked. "I bet that there was more of those cheesy romantic getaways in that list of yours that you probably pulled off from a romantic magazine. Let me guess what was next…a walk on the beach?"

Marco couldn't help but to hang there, his mouth opening and closing as his brain tried to form a coherent thought.

The former princess couldn't help herself but to bend over and laugh. Embarrassingly, the teen couldn't say anything to save his own skin about the fact that she was completely right. Taking a deep breath, Star once more intertwined her hand with his, extending her right hand to him.

"Now Marco, just give it to me."

Slowly, the boy dug into his pocket, pulling out a neatly folded backup list. Star snatched it out of his hands, briefly looked at it with disdain before she broke it into little, tiny pieces, scattering them with a dramatic stance, the remains taken by the wind.

"Uh…Star, littering is a serious crime…"

She rolled her eyes.

"Bah! Who cares? Now Mr. Boyfriend, after that restaurant I just want you to relax…let's just do what we always do, how bout dat? Augh? Hmmm?" She lifted her eyebrows saucily.

The boy couldn't help but to nod. A memory came of him and Jackie in their second date, wiping things that he had embarrassingly wrote down on his hands…and face. Seriously, who does that? Things were far over between them but she was completely right in one thing, he just had to be himself and that was that.

Rolling her eyes, she took his hand once more, only that this time, Marco confidently had a nice spring on his step. Smiling to herself, the former princess thought to herself that now the date could begin.

The restaurant was located close to the marina area of Echo Creek, not the one closer to the piers. The couple stood across an impressive restaurant inside of an equally expensive hotel. Star had to stop because the view was breath taking. The sun gleamed on the reflective surfaces of the building windows, it was like watching a mirror image of the horizon and with the Mewni moons, it looked far too beautiful not to gape at it. Squeezing her hand, Marco smiled, opening the door to her. The restaurant name was the Les Très cher Et Coûteux, while Star tried her best how to read or even pronounce that gibberish, Marco guided them towards the front of it where a stereotypical patron nodded at them.

"Welcome to our fine establishment…do you have a reservation?" He thrusted a judgmental gaze over the two teens. Star for her part suddenly felt underdressed and out of place. It was one thing to be expected at a royal party where the finest and most luxurious clothes were the norm. She suddenly felt as if she was overstepping a boundary.

Glaring at the rude patron, Marco slapped a finger on the wooden podium.

"That we do. Name's Diaz." The voice dripped deeply with maturity and a ting of anger and just like that Star relaxed, smiling at her boyfriend.

Displeased, the patron scanned the name on his list and if he was displeased now, he was even more so, scowling openly at them.

Equally scoffing, Marco and Star waited for his next reaction. Finally, the patron nodded.

"Please, follow me." He said, turning around and lifting his head high in the air, walking exactly as his attitude suggested. Behind him Marco copied him, walking with a mocking mannerism that made Star snort in laughter, slapping her hands firmly across her lips. While the receiving was a complete fiasco, the decorum of the place wasn't bad at all. Soft yellow colored walls tinted the restaurant in a fine light that seemed to blend with the wooden ceiling and the glass chandelier suspended from it. The lightning was adequate to accent the finely tables covered with an almost transparent cyan table top which the patron guided them to a more enclosed area await from the restaurant. The moment they stepped into the special crafted room, their eyes widened at the acrylic and transparent floor that was completely covered in bottles of wine.

The patron guided them to a single table, politely offering to sit down Star, pushing her slightly closer to the table while Marco preferred to sit down on his own. The patron placed two menus in their hands, nodding at them.

"Your server will be with you in a few moments…we serve complementary bread made in house with a fine and soft and creamy garlic butter and sparkling water, if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."

Waving him off, Marco scoffed.

"Can you believe that guy?"

Star snorted. "Ohohohohohoho, it's fineee Diaz. Seems like the fancier the place, the more stuck-up they get, in whatever dimension."

Her answer immediately eased up his nerves, the teens both opened their menus scanning through their contents. It only took them less than a minute to sank down on their seats, it seemed that no matter where they looked, the prices were too outrageous to even phantom the idea of even ordering something.

Marco cringed, it wasn't a bill, it was an armed robbery! He wished he could travel once more where Father Time was located and beg him to return him to a time where he could slap himself on the face of how stupid he had to be to overpay the fee of a reservation to this restaurant! Which almost costed him his full $650. He almost wanted to groan aloud but he held himself for Star's sake. He didn't want to appear like if he was too much of a cheapskate in front of her, even if she wasn't royalty anymore, he knew that she was more than used to have an unlimited wealth and nothing would seem too expensive for a person of her caliber.

The former princess from her part, just covered her face in the menu so he couldn't watch as her face guffawed in disbelief at how ridiculously expensive things were! She was sure that an establishment like this ever existed in Mewni, even royalty would have the owner in chains and hung from the gallows for even daring to cheat the people of the kingdom. Abstinently, she wrapped one of her gold locks as she tried to decide in what to order. It was pure gobbledygook! Hell, what did even boeuf ultra cher enveloppé dans de l'argent even meant?! Having enough of this, she peeked over her menu to find Marco in the same state as she was currently feeling.

She cleared her throat. "These things are…so money friendly, so how about we order something from the kid's menu?"

Marco sighed. "I am so sorry Star, you were right. I spent most of my money in the reservation and I didn't even plan of how to pay for even a single item on the menu."

She smiled, placing her hand on top of his. "Marco, it doesn't matter…besides…" She tapped the kid's menu for emphasis. "It says here that it comes with a coloring book and I don't know about you but I am sold on that." She chuckled. "Hey, none of the other items offer that, so I'll take it!"

For a moment, Marco was too stunned in silence. Throwing him a concerned look, Star internally cringed, thinking she might perhaps insult him but was surprised instead when he started laughing, shaking his head and immediately she knew he was sold in the idea.

"Ya know what? Those platters of mini burgers with fries sound pretty good."

"A-yup!" She clapped her hands. "And you know…I bet I can draw better than you."

His eyebrow rose at the challenge.

"Oh, you're on princess…I shall make you eat thy words." They both glared at each other before they were interrupted by the server who cleared his throat to catch their attention, even before he even presented himself both Star and Marco interrupted him.

"Mini burgers, fries and Cokes!" They both said in unison, looking at each other in surprise and then at the flabbergasted server who could only stand there with his mouth open, then turned around briefly and left. Both looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. A minute later they stood there talking while chewing on the bread with butter. Star seemed to love the buzz that the carbonated water gave her, chewing with gusto and just like that, the tension that had even enveloped the evening broke down as they laughed and talking about their past adventures.

"Do you remember that time where I grew you a beard?"

Marco groaned. "Don't remind me, just another Marco-moment where I thought that it was going to impress Jackie." He rolled his eyes at his own idiocy. "It took forever to get a shave! You were like…shaving me for like six hours?"

The girl buffed her chest with pride. "Seven hours, thirty-six minutes and nine seconds. And boy I was tired afterwards, after kicking some serious butt while you were undisposed."

"You mean you got attacked by Ludo while I was in my beard cocoon?"

"A-yup!" She laughed. "Ludo decided that now would be the best time to get my wand…but I kicked that home invasion with some serious ka-pow!" She started doing the 'sword hand dance' making Marco laugh uncontrollably. The food finally arrived on cue, with two servers placing a platter of mini burgers, fries and two large sodas. The patron came with two coloring books and crayolas, looking at the teens with disdain before he forced a smile.

"Your…arts and craft, miss and sir."

Star smiled. "Awww, so sweet." She started digging in her purse, pulling out a gold coin and throwing it to the surprised man who caught it and stared at it. "Something for you, don't spend it in one place! It's Mewman gold…I believe it is worth five thousand dollars" The man looked at it with confusion, his eyes widening as he tried to stammer a response, bowing his thanks and snapping his fingers, the servers and the patron left.

As Marco took a bite of his fries, he turned to the retreating patron and then to Star.

"Why would you tip a guy like that Star? He wasn't nothing but rude the entire time we've been here."

She shrugged. "You never know what made him tick, maybe this will knock him down a peg….now!" She clapped her hands together. "Let's get some grub in our bellies, mamma is hungry!"

The food was nothing but delicious. Even if it was made for kids, the beef was tender and cooked to perfection with a medium-well texture that made them both moan and how good they were. The cheese was melted just right with bits of crispy bacon, the fries were thick and salted to perfection. By the time they finished their three platter, Star and Marco were already patting their full stomachs, with satisfied smile on their faces.

Star hand worked on her art, occasionally looking at Marco who was as equally concentrated on his to pay much attention, but occasionally he would lift his gaze from the lap napkin fortress that protected his art from privy eyes, peeling his eyes in constant vigilance.

The blonde pursed her lips. "Ta-taaa! Done-a."

"Almost there Star."

Marco put some finishing touches on his, finally putting his Crayola to rest. "Now let's see what you got princess." They both placed their drawings on the table, craning their necks to study each other's work.

While Star one was drawn crudely, she made him the cutest chibi style that immediately pulled a smile on his face, especially at the title 'cutie pie' in bold letters. Chuckling at how cute it was, he was more marveled at the expression of pure marvel on her face.

"Is something wrong with mine? I didn't make you look ugly or something, right?"

Was he kidding?! Star almost shouted. The brief strokes of his was divine, special detail was given to her face. Is this how he saw her? She marveled as she traced the wings on her back and the sword that she carried in her hand, slicing on the air as she laughed. The glimmer on her eyes of the drawing was exactly how she felt the moment she rushed into battle, yet it was done so subtly but beautifully done that Star was without words for a few seconds.

"I didn't know you could draw so good." Her face broke into a smile. "I love it!"

He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I am average I guess."

Shaking her head at how modest he was, she folded his drawing and put it back into her purse. "This is going into the memory book."

The boy chuckled, also taking hers into his pocket. "And this will be in the ones I am about to start."

She squealed. "Now we can fill it up with new memories…just about the two of us." Brown eyes looked at her cerulean ones, both smiling and drawing to their faces, puckering their lips for another kiss before someone cleared their throat. The teens shot the patron a look of annoyance for having their moment interrupted as two servers placed two cups of steaming coffee with milk in front of them, retiring their now empty platters.

"Complementary coffee on the house…please enjoy."

The blonde blinked. "Coffee? Isn't that like the very addicting drink that your parents wake up to and they can stop being like ghouls in the morning?"

"Star, you had coffee before. French, just like many cultures like to have a good coffee after dining."

Shrugging, she observed the items brought to her, eyeing the cup of steaming coffee with some disdain. Politely, she took her cup with her pinky extended, her face turned stony as if she was remembering her etiquette lessons, bringing her cup to eye level while the other took the creamer, delicately she placed the long neck to pour hers only to make a sound like a barf.

"Blaughhh…oh Marco…I don't feel so gooooughhh!" She spilled the creamer into her coffee like if it was barfing into her coffee.

They both laughed hysterically with him not being able to finish his cup.

Wiping a tear from his eye, he took a deep breath. "Let's get out of here. I think we're done."

She gave him a sexy look. "Oh, so you think that after fine dining, you already swept this princess off her feet uh? Tsk, tsk Marco. I am not so easily impressed, it's gonna take you more than that"

Boldly, Marco crossed his arms on the table, tilting his body closer to hers, giving her a gaze that made her see red. His chest puffed, lifting a challenging eyebrow that sent her heart to flutter heavily in her chest.

"Not at all…but I know what would make this princess to change her mind."

She opened her mouth, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"Whack-a-mole" He declared crossing his arms.

Star laughed, relieved, pumping her fist up.

"Atta boy! Imma bout to whack you off."

His cheeks exploded in red at the innuendo, slouching back into his seat. If she didn't understand what she just said, she didn't care, immediately taking him by the hand and guiding off the restaurant. Strangely, the patron was sniffing as if he was moved by something, waving at them with a happy smile on his face and that's how they found themselves walking through the streets of Echo Creek once more. To Star it was just once more was a summer vacation filled with adventure, just the two of them in a sunny afternoon having fun after fun without a room for discussion, dragging Marco around by the sleeve of his hoodie. She was immersed so much in the memory that she didn't feel as Marco abruptly stopped with her body slamming against someone.

The _someone_ grunted and Star hissed in annoyance, a nasty biting phrase about to jump from her throat, not considering that she wasn't the one that paid attention where she was walking.

"Tom?" Marco's voice interrupted that action as she finally took space to look at her former boyfriend who looked worse to wear.

"Star! Marco!" The demon boy smiled. "Boy I am glad I found ya." He was about to hug them when he noticed their intertwined hands, immediately Star tensed not knowing how he would react in this situation but to her entire relief, a smile broke down into his expression, punching Marco's shoulder. The boy complained but said nothing but a muffled _Ow. _"So you took my advice to heart eh?"

Marco rubbed his bruised shoulder. "You were right Tom, we only had to be more honest to each other and in the end, I think it worked just fine." The olive-skinned boy said, wrapping his hand around her hips making her smile. "I hope you are not mad."

The demon placated the boy. "It's ok, you're my bro and while…it still stings, I think that it was the best thing that could ever happen to all of us." He nodded briefly at Star.

"I still owe you an apology Tom." The former princess lowered her gaze. "I used you…I tried to project whatever I was feeling with Marco and it kinda spiraled out of control. I thought that by replacing Marco with you I would eventually forget about him but…" She looked aside, sighing sadly.

Tom held a hand while the other held her shoulder. "Star it's ok. I think that everything turned out at the end." He pursed his lips. "Sure, I am going to be bummed about for a while but you know what? I think it was a learning lesson for all of us. After everything we've gone through, you guys deserve this and nothing you can do will pull me away from you, because we're friends."

"Aw Tom." Star hugged him and Marco couldn't help but to also join in the hug.

They took their distance smiling sweetly at each other before the demon boy snapped his fingers, his face turning completely serious.

"Now that funk is out of the way…dude, I can't teleport home." The teen demon informed them. "I am still demon to the max here. I still got my powers but for some reason was just like that day…teleporting is out of the question." He groaned. "I need to get back to my parents and my kingdom to reassure them that everything is ok…maybe I'll have to use the secret entrance."

"Secret entrance?" Marco lifted an eyebrow as Star rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, when Tom and I were up to our rebel antics, we took a special elevator to the surface. It is sort of…far away now that I think about it. I guess for the moments Tom, you're stuck here."

The prince of the underworld slumped, completely depressed. "Bummer, also the phones no longer work." He pulled out his phone for reference and tried to call his mother to not end. Curiously, Star also dug her own star shaped phone, pulling it close to her face.

"Call Ponyhead."

Static followed.

"Uh…we don't have to go back to the Pixie kingdom to pay a bill right?"

"That's the thing Star…I think that with the destruction of the magic, maybe they are no longer in business." Marco deduced.

Star scoffed. "That's sort of rude. They have been in the bizz for generations! And now you're telling me that they have the audacity to cut down our service?"

"Star, what I mean to say is that they're uh…out of business, forever" Marco finished it for her. Confusedly she stared once more at her device. "Since technically speaking their deal with most of the devices of Mewni and the multiverse worked with magic…as well as many of the technological advances which made its use to run that as its fuel source, I deduce that maybe that's why they no longer work now." Marco crossed his arms as the prince of the underworld and the preppy former princess stared at him in shock. "So the interdimensional mirror? The cellphones? The magic invisible goats? Gone too."

The ramifications of what he just said hit Star home as she hugged herself.

"And…the puppies. We didn't saw them when we got to your house Marco. I thought…that they were somewhere else"

Sighing in sadness, Marco hugged his girlfriend. "I know…Sajak, Barko Diaz, Marco Jr….and the others are gone."

"Oh my poor babies." Star eyes gleamed with unshed tears.

As the teenagers mellowed in a sad funk, their ears perked by the characteristic scrapping sound of a skateboard on concrete approaching hard and fast. Marco was as equally surprised at watching his former crush Jackie Lynn Thomas and her new girlfriend suddenly stopping in front of them hand in hand, kicking their skateboards to their waiting hands.

"As I live and breathe, if it isn't for Marco, Star and demon boy." The chill valley girl of his former crush greeted, crossing her arms across her chest. Chloe just politely waved back.

Star funk disappeared in a second, bringing the chill girl into a bone crushing hug, lifting her from the ground with a happy squeal. The eyes of Jackie bulged out at her ability to breathe sapped, just hanging there with her legs dangling.

"Uh, Star." Marco warned her, gasping as if she had forgotten her keys in her nightstand, she put her back on her feet, the chill girl taking deep breaths to her aching lungs.

With concern, Chloe took her by the shoulders to let get have space to breathe. Then she started laughing and gasping for breath at the same time.

"Boy I forgot how strong you are Star." The blonde swooped her hair backwards, smiling at her girlfriend. "Though…the world looks pretty weird right now. I saw you guys and I wanted to ask about it…though you already clue me in somewhat." She smiled and pointed to the hands of Marco and Star that had remained in each other grasp. The teens blushed, though they did their best to smile which put the skater girl in good moods.

"Jackie first I want to apologize for breaking your skateboard…again." Marco sighed looking completely ashamed.

She smiled. "It's fine dude. It got an epic last ride. Though now, wanna explain what happened? It was like world war 3 for a sec and then boom, magical dimension galore."

"Our dimensions sort of joined together." Marco began, sighing as if he tried to redefine the history of mankind in a short sentence. "Everything that we knew about our worlds joined into one. To what results? We don't really know…the only thing I know is that nothing will separate us ever again." He plastered Star against his side and even someone as hyper active as Star was too stupefied to say anything, she just laid there on his arms as Jackie and Chloe smiled at the couple.

Tom cleared his throat, interrupting the moment. "Sorry to bust the moment but…I need to get going." He crossed his arms. "I need to get to my family and make sure that my kingdom is safe."

The former princess smiled. "It'll be fine. Eclipsa and my mom are currently working out the details with the leader of Echo Creek."

"You mean the mayor?" Marco lifted his eyebrow, remembering that she didn't really knew how their government structure was like.

She waved him off. "Yeah, the mayonnaise in charge."

Jackie couldn't help but to laugh at her antics. "I didn't get to know you that well demon man but you know what guys? How about we hang out soon? At least so we can sit down and talk well…about all of this? " She clasped her hands and motioned to the monster and mismatched Mewmans who were exploring the city with awe on their eyes. Even to someone like Chloe who seemed as chill as Jackie couldn't help but to gawk.

"You weren't kidding at all." The dark-skinned girl exclaimed pointing up in the sky where dragoncycles swoop up with a crack of their internal engines.

Tom sighed. "Well…that's my cue." He bowed his head at the assorted teens. "I'll see if I can take into your offer." He smiled at Jackie. "You guys might wanna make me some space." The teens backed up and just the jet start off, his lower limbs caught on fire, blistering the air with heat, taking off like a rocket upwards into the sky before he cracked down on speed, disappearing from sight until he was nothing more than a red speck.

"You got some cool friends love." Chloe exclaimed.

"That I do." Jackie smiled at Star and Marco. "Don't forget what I said…now carry on with your date." She enjoyed as she managed to make them blush, both girls mounting their skateboards and riding away.

"BYYEE JAAAACKIE!" Star screamed watching them disappearing from view. "She's so cool right?"

Marco felt the bittersweet memory of her taking off, offering his arm once more to Star who took it. He had long time ago figure it out that he was never in love with her, Marco was just in love with her image of what she represented, never as a person. He just wished that he realized it sooner, giving him something more similar with what Star went through with Tom.

"That she is."

The couple continued onwards through the mall which seemed even busier than normal with the mix of Mewmans and monsters exploring the environment. A tall ogre in particular was trying to figure it out how to get water off the drinking fountain. Amusedly, Star walked next to him and pressed a button making him scream.

"Witchcraft!"

Leaving the monster behind, Marco and Star walked inside the arcade. 90s music resounded through the speakers as well as the sounds of a different era of technology. While the acceptance of such places due the increasing popularity of consoles and hand held games which diminished its attention, arcades were still kind of a big thing in certain circles and today it wasn't going to be any better. Marco paid for the tokens and onwards they went; as promised Marco placed two coins into the whack a mole machine, his body trying to forget about Star comments back in the restaurant.

It hadn't been the first time they played this game. Given her upbringing, Star quick like lightning reflexes smashed mole after mole, being very careful not to destroy the machine, understanding that tapping them got her a point, it did killed her fun as she would've preferred to smash a war hammer against the thing but nonetheless she was enjoying kicking Marco's cute butt as her score quickly surpassed his by a landslide, a mocking laughter escaping her throat at his face got redder and redder, unable to even make a dent into her score. Not even with his sixteen years of combat experience he could a candle to one of the best warriors in the land of Mewni. At the end, the machine chimed with a victory PUMM PUUUUM signaling that Star had won the game, hundreds upon hundreds of purple tickets falling into a growing pile.

To Marco's annoyance, the machine then started playing a fake applause as Star bowed to her invincible public, blowing kisses left and right.

"I got the biggest score!" Star crossed her arms in victory. "I whacked you."

Marco blinked, looking around if some other person had heard what she just said but finding none he started clapping. "I humbly surrender to your highness."

"You can call me the whacking pri-"

Marco cringed, covering her mouth with his hand. "Star…you cannot say that aloud. On Earth it means…ya know, alone time, like personal alone time" He looked at her with pleading eyes, trying to make her understand and when she did, her eyes widened, a deep blush covering her cheeks.

He couldn't help but to laugh at the reaction, taking her by the hand so they could go to the next arcade machine, her massive tickets flapping in the wind. It was like she was an innate sportsgirl. She bested him on the basketball arcade, on car races and even darts…but there was one game that required thinking strategy to win in which he exceeded and nobody would take that bragging right from him, air hockey.

Star looked unsure at the game. She was more of a rusher that could instantly act, strategy wasn't her forte. While she could plan, she knew that this was more of his valley. Strategizing was all about Marco and he knew this. Snorting she looked at him, with a hand on her hips.

"Getting desperate are we Diaz?" She smirked at how he pouted with those cute lips. "Well, I rise for the task…the winner takes it all."

She cracked her fingers, rolling the hockey puck on her palm before she took it like a sword, falling into a combat pose with a smirk cracking on her lips before she slid her puck across her goal as a challenge to even dare to come close.

Slowly, Marco breathed nice and easy, concentrating in the disc in front of him, measuring the angle of attack. For a while, it was just a fraction of studying the tactics of his opponent, her strengths and weaknesses goading him into an appropriate strategy.

"For corn's sake Marco, shoot!"

His eyes opened and just like that his puck connected at a sharp angle that made Star to gasp, barely being able to counter with her own puck, sending the disc dangerously close to her own goal. Snarling at him she slammed the puck on the disc, throwing a look of pure determination. So he wanted to play dirty uh? Both could play the same game. In a second she connected the puck through his left corner, so fast that sweeping to defend his goal left him open to attack for one second as Star threw her puck through the board towards the disc before even Marco could counter attack, managing to score a goal with a loud clank.

Star 1, Marco zero!

"Woah." Marco exclaimed completely surprised, throwing her puck back at her, more amused than angry. It seemed that only had a trick up her sleeve; Star was impulsive and reckless in her attacks, it made her completely unpredictable in everything she did and air hockey wasn't too far away from her fighting style. She didn't gloat this time, only lifting an eyebrow in challenge as if saying _do not disappoint me._ Smirking back he pulled his puck and the game really began. In the end Star won again but rather than being angry and disappointed, he felt proud of her accomplishment. To think that Star had rubbed so much of him that she had completed her strategy? In the entire time, Star had been analyzing him, using his own strength against him and it costed him the game.

She was indeed a warrior princess. Forfeiting the game, he rubbed his shoulders pointing at the massive pile of tickets she had. "Technically, men are supposed to win things for their girlfriends, it is sort of how it works and I don't have anything to get you now."

The former princess waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Well I was taught differently; the woman and the man share everything together with no deference to duties. It doesn't matter who they are…they both do things together like a team and we're a team Marco, we share the fruits of our labor." Smiling she placed all of her tickets into his hands.

"Now pick me something nice!"

Shaking his head in amusement, he took her hand approaching to the boring teen in the counter, eyeing the so many difference prizes displayed on the wall. He saw something that warned his heart, settling for a cute unicorn that reminded him of Star. It looked just like a warnicorn. Star squealed as she hugged her price.

"It's so fluffy! Thanks Marco."

"Anything for my princesa."

Giggling the couple took off from the arcade as Star bounced her prize left and right, completely in love with it. They passed a Vietnamese coffee house getting two drinks on the way. Marco picked a sweet caramel milk tea with tapioca while Star picked as honeydew infused Thai tea Bubble tea with boba tapioca pearls which tasted delightful. When they exited the mall the sun was halfway in an orange dusk, Star marveled at the mix of colors that only Earth and Mewni could present to her, like swirls of bright marbles, the oranges, pinks and whites have come to Echo Creek in a mantle of colors that moved her to place her head on his shoulder with a pleased sigh.

"This…has been the best date ever Marco."

He smiled. "I am glad you think so…but there's a last thing that I wanted to do before we head home."

She humored him with a smile. "Go on."

And he would have said so before a buzzing in his pocket interrupted him. Smiling apologetic to his girlfriend he pulled the device from his pocket finding the last person he expected contacting him.

_A lil' birdie told me what you're cooking Diaz so I got you a little present. Head over to Needles, he has something that you might like. Don't worry about payment, all taken care of buddy. Just say the password and let the magic happen *wink, wink* We'll talk about my payment at a later date._

_-JAN._

Marco smiled, completely touched. To think that it had taken knowing her all of these years for her to admit that they were finally friends.

The phone vibrated again.

_BTW. I took your diary so you got something to lose if you don't want to pay me back. Consider this my ace in the hole after this ordeal._

_XOXO. Jan._

The boy grunted in annoyance. He knew it wasn't going to be easy.

"Everything alright?" Star asked in concern.

He put his phone back into his pocket, nodding. "Yup, totally…though I gotta pick up something. Do you mind waiting here?"

She smiled. "Not at all. Just don't take too long, kay?"

He pecked her lips sweetly lingering in her embrace before walking away. In reality, he was more intrigued than scared. Marco had chugged down the kid persona ages ago but there was still an air of caution about where he was headed, heading towards the slum of an alley. Two fierce looking men stepped behind a dumpster, one holding a switchblade between his fingers.

"That is far enough." He growled as the other man, a man that seemed to be as big as a mountain cracked his knuckles threateningly. "Now you better state your business…or we'll send you off in pieces."

The brown-haired boy wasn't intimidated, if only it gave him courage to follow on with his quest.

"I am here to see Needles. Name's Diaz." The two thugs didn't even move a muscle. Sighing at how stupid this was, Marco grumbled to himself. "He who gives shall never need…"

"He who takes shall forever bleed…this way kid."

The thugs lowered their arms, waiting for them to pass him so they could watch him from his back, guiding him all the way to Needles who sat down on his throne of bricks and old newspapers, looking at the new comer with a smirk tugged on his lips.

"Janna told me you'll be here." He smirked and snapped his massive fingers. Another thug stepped from a dumpster carrying a picnic basket, depositing it on Marco's waiting hand, finding it quite heavy. "It has everything that you could ever need for a romantic sitting, including but not limiting it to nice club sandwiches, drinks, glasses, napkins, a blanket and…" He smirked just as his thugs started snickering to each other. The taller one went as far as to blush, battling his eyelashes. "A very special surprise that shall _culminate _your date. Please, enjoy it Mr. Diaz and I wish you luck in your future endeavors…if you ever need of my services do not hesitate to ask. My men will see you out."

"Uh…thanks?"

He had been more weirded out than scared, he dared not to peek inside the basket preferring to face this with Star. He found her sitting on a bench, slurping the last of her tapioca. Waving at her, she smiled standing up to greet them.

"Whatcha got there Marco?"

He smiled. "This is the last thing I wanted to do. How about you and I head over to our hill and have a picnic?"

Star squealed. "A romantic picnic under the stars? Cheesy…but." She bit her lips. "I love it, let's go dork!"

Hand in hand, they walked through Echo Creek to the tallest hill that overlooked the city. The effort would have winded down Marco a couple of years down the line, but the constant running around through the multiverse with Star and his training as a knight in plate armor had finally shaped him into athletic progress that he never thought possible. Star smiled at him, equally enjoying their slow but steady walk on the hill, finally arriving with a sight of admiration in her eyes, looking at the world they just created hand in hand. Smiling, Marco sat the basket down, looking it at him warily before taking a gamble and opening it. Blinking in disbelief he found after the blanket, his red hoodie inside and the moment he took it, multiple items were lying there just behind it. As promised, Needle's description was correct in every item, Star face seemed to light up at the careful wrapped club sandwiches, chips with spicy and guacamole dip as he pulled them in the open, yet included something that made him stare at it in confusion.

"Is that champagne?"

Her hands clapped together staring at the bottle in his hands, it had a thick bar of dark chocolate wrapped around it as well. "Uh, well…yeah?" He lamely said just as he pulled two fine china glasses from the basket. Marco knew that most of Mewni wasn't a stranger to drink, some even drank it like water and Star wasn't excluded from that package, drinking ample quantities of her family royal ale, wine and when she thought that he wasn't looking, a strong corn moonshine. She had missed it during her time on Earth since essentially, she was still a minor and it would be five more years until she could sample alcohol again. It made sense as a feudal society way behind the times, but he wasn't going to deprive her for something she wanted.

Marco looked at the bottle at a crossroads about consuming alcohol. He had refused all of it back in Mewni and he should've just say no but now, a larger part of him embraced the changed that he had been going through and that voice snuffed the life of the other voices, immediately telling him that it would be more than ok.

Smiling at Star, he peeled the seal, flickering the wires that held the cork and with a mighty pull, the bottle opened with a loud pop. Star smiled holding her glass, her lips widening further as the bubbly and gold liquid filled her glass. She hummed, twirling the liquid in her hand with the other one residing on her lap.

"You know Marco, I know your aversion to alcohol." She took her hand into his. "I don't want you to rush like a pig-goat into something you don't want to do. It isn't going to impress me or surprise me, okay?"

He smiled, feeling touched to know she cared that much.

"Actually, it is something I want to do." He chuckled. "You might be rubbing off me too much but I've found that I can be as impulsive and bold as you are, I'll drink."

She rolled her eyes, playfully tapping her fingers into his. "If you say so…let me at least know if it's good stuff or kiddie table quality."

Marco deadpanned at her. What a way to steal his moment of manliness.

She took a hearty sip, rolling the taste in her lips, finding it tasty enough to smack her lips, moaning at the full flavor. Not too dry or too sour, just absolutely perfect.

"It's good!" She declared, serving him a glass. The teens took their glasses and tilted them together with a glassy click. "For the future, may we prosper together."

"For our love to conquer everything that life throws at us."

Smiling at their respective partner, they took a sip in a celebratory toast. The taste was not like anything that he ever had. It was subtle but he could say he found it flavorful and swirled with full flavor that immediately put him in a very good mood. Already by his second sip, he could feel a nice and hearty buzz in his system and he felt a smile tugging on his lips with his body relaxing. Star opened one of the sandwiches, taking a good bite with approval, nodding.

"This is too gooooood!" She moaned, dipping a chip into the guac and taking a bite, downing everything with half the glass in one go. There was a saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but nobody has ever known Star Butterfly. She loved to try new things to eat, the tastier, the better. She was already pouring herself a third glass and he was barely through the middle of his own. He wasn't in any hurry to finish; they had the entire night for themselves.

Star suddenly fell silent, twirling a lock of hair in her fingers.

"Something on your mind Star?"

She briefly smiled. "You know me so well."

He chuckled. "It is sort my job, as your bestie and your boyfriend."

"Well…it's just that…now what?" She sighed, letting her head to fall down on the blanket, looking at the mix of black and orange in the sky as the last embers of the day finally were ending. "Our worlds are together, there's no longer magic and…I am not a princess anymore. Does even Mewni exist?"

Marco fell silent, contemplating her questions but failing to provide an answer for any of them.

"What I am going to do now? In fact…what the Mewmans are gonna do now? I didn't even think about the future of my people." She sniffed. "Did…did I…I doomed everyone because I decided to be selfish?" Her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh Star." Marco took her into his warm embrace, letting her cry on his shoulder as he kissed her head. "Star, you're the bravest soul I know. All you've ever done has been serving the kingdom. All of our battles in the pursuit of justice and the wellbeing of everyone in the kingdom." He smiled, cupping her cheeks and making look at him, brushing a tear from her cheek. "I remember everything that we've gone through since I arrived to Mewni…and the pursuit of equality for monsters. Something that nobody has ever done for them in the entire history of the kingdom. You worked so hard for this, it was your goal but at the end, it was all for a new chapter for Mewni. Away from petty bloodshed and unity…and you made it…we made it happen, together."

She sighed, looking aside, grasping his hands in hers. "Do you think we made the right call? Or that I am selfish for wanting you?"

"We all deserve to be happy mi estrella…you can call me selfish then. I brought my world into yours, just like you did the first moment you arrived to Earth." Their eyes found each other. "It isn't going to be easy, but as long as we're together, we can do anything. It's what I fell in love with you Star from the very beginning. Whatever you go, you bring the best in all of us, you brought the best in me when I thought that I was an insecure teenager, you showed me a world that completed me and I wouldn't change a thing." He sealed his words with a passionate kiss that seared her lips and brought her to a new warm that couldn't compare with alcohol. They separated their lips with a smack, still gazing unto each other eyes.

"I love you too Marco, so much it hurts." She caressed his face. "Mewni might be where I thought my home was…but with you, home is wherever you are." The couple shared another kiss that poured their feelings to one and another, basking in each other's company as the day came to a close.

The dusk finally ended to the awe of the teenagers, giving way to the night…and what a night it was. The stars twinkled far too brightly, gone was the light pollution, mixing with the light of four moons and new constellation and stars into an unique display of beauty that left them silent, star gazing and enjoying the majestic view as they cuddled closer and ate to their heart contents. Completely satisfied, Star guided Marco's head to her lap, her fingers tracing his brown locks as his senses overlapped each other. The alcohol buzzing in his system, the feeling of her warm lap and the feelings of happiness that took hold of him, his heart beating swiftly and his stomach full. It had been completely unplanned but he felt himself nodding off in the lap of the love of his life, completely high on life, that was until Star hummed in confusion, waking him from his stupor, looking overhead where Star found two purple envelopes tapped to the bottom of the bottle.

"What does extra girth mean?"

He sat up immediately, hyperventilating, immediately grabbing the aforementioned bottle and looking at the condoms.

"Is that like an added flavoring to make it taste even better?"

With a panicked yell, he untapped the condoms from the bottle and threw them aside as far as he could down the hill, panting and shaking from anger. _JANNNNNNNAAAAA!_

"Woah Mr. Jumpy, you didn't have to do that." Star protested, standing up to try and find the flavoring envelopes. She didn't count with Marco grabbing her hand in an effort to stop her, her foot wrapped around with the blanket and just like that she was falling on her face, screaming at the winds. At the last second, Marco wrapped his hand around her stomach and pulled her to the other side. Both lost their balance and fell. Star grunted as she found herself atop of Marco, her hands resting on his chest and her gasping lips close to his, both feeling as their hot breath caressed each other skin. Blue met brown in a pull of pure desire, finally plastering their lips against each other, growling at how right it felt.

The world around them disappeared, only them mattered in the night with their lips turning red from the hot pressure that marked them against each other. Star wrapped her hands fully around his solid shoulders, enjoying how thick they've gotten, their firmness sending a sensation of hot heat into her stomach, unconsciously pumping her hips around hips. A menacing growl rasped from Marco's throat, the sound had been so unexpected but it sent her to cloud nine, wanting to hear it again because it was HER that got that out of him. She got possessive and couldn't help herself but to do it again and again, their cores tingling with excitement. Star had never done anything like this with another person but with Marco, it felt right, like if they were meant to be just like this and it diminished her aggression, making him gasp as her hands explored his firm abs, rubbing her hot cheeks against his chest as she bit her lips to hold the mewl from her own throat, refusing to let him to win their game of tonsils.

His hands dared to explore from her shoulders, tracing patterns in her back and this time she couldn't avoid her breathless moan of pleasure, something fluttered inside her shirt and curiously, Marco did it again and again making Star snarl sexily, seeking his lips again, this time swirling her tongue into his mouth, seeking his, their tongues hotly dancing in their mouths. Never before she had kissed a girl for so long, never even French kissing but here they were, two best friends in love giving everything they could to each other. Something started flapping loudly and the sound was enough to part his lips from hers with a thin trail of saliva connecting their tongues, gasping for breath.

"Star, what's that sound?"

The girl bit her lips, placing a kiss on his bobbing Adam apple as the sound increased in tempo. "My wings...they, wont uh, stop…I still have them" She groaned in pain and pleasure. "It's starting to get a little uncomfortable."

Marco threw a breathy laugh. "I feel exactly the same." Seconds passed before he gasped at what he just revealed to her, trying to push her aside but that only made her laugh.

"Take it easy now _wild-man._ Momma feels just like home." She told him without any shame, mewling as she pumped her hips against his, seeking his lips once more, trying to devour him, the boy could only lie there and take it, his hands exploring her sensitive back making her throw her head back and moan, her right hand extending with desperation to pull down the zipper. Awkwardly in this position, her puffy sleeves didn't give her enough leverage to pull down the zipper of the blouse. Looking at her predicament, Marco placed one hand on her hips to still here, smiling sweetly at her.

"Here…let me." Slowly, his hand, parted her flowing gold locks, teasing her neck and her shoulders before he found the zipper. He gave her a look as if he wanted her permission and she bit her lips, nodding. It came down slowly, as Star held her breath, finally groaning in relief as her wings extended, flickering to the empty air, sighing in relief, once more her face hovering against his for a kiss. His hands slowly trekked from her naked shoulders just as her lips joined once more with his until he was grasping at the thin membrane of her wings, flickering his fingers against the transparent purple tips.

"Marco!" She moaned. "Please be careful…they're very sensitive." She bit her lips, clenching her body against his and shuddering.

The boy nodded, taking his time to explore them. They were surprisingly soft and hot to the touch, he enjoyed how much they flickered against his touch as if they were a different part of her that liked to be petted, rolling his fingers at the base, he let out a surprised gasp as her wings fluttered without control before they started to press against his fingers, seeking his touch all the while the blonde trembled, burying her face into his chest so he couldn't hear how crazy he was making her. But he didn't like that, he wanted to see her, his fingers caressing the hips of her petite body, using his other hand to force her face closer to his, capturing her lips into a searing kiss.

Star shuddered in pleasure and this time it was him who pushed his tongue into her lips, caressing hers tongue swiftly, shocking the girl at his dominance, but welcoming it nonetheless, pressing herself fully against his.

They were both a jittery mess of hormones, sweat and a tangle of limbs, giving their trust to one and another. Slowly the body parted his lips from hers, enjoying her flushed skin, caressing her beautiful face and he wanted so much more. He wanted to feel her against his naked chest and see how further they could take their passion. Unfortunately, the voice of reason had finally broken through his own passion as he watched Star trembled through half lidded eyes.

"Star, do you think we're going too fast? We just got together today. I mean…I want this, but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I want you to want this."

The former princess sighed at how sweet he was being, joining her forehead with his.

"I've never done any of this with anyone." She revealed to him, his eyes widening I surprise. "You're the first and the _last_ person that I feel like doing this with." She caressed his face. "I just smooched with Tom but nothing has ever come close to what you make me feel Marco Ubaldo Diaz…nothing." She pecked his lips, finally resting against his warm embrace, enjoying his musk, just like the smell of his hoodies, she felt safe in his arms. "Today has been the best day of my life."

He smiled in her embrace. "Mine too."

The blonde smirked suddenly. "Besides, I think that we're going at a good pace, sure it got heated and I've had Marco Jr. pressed against me this whole time, but nothing I can handle."

The boy blinked, his cheeks exploding with red.

She laughed, smacking his chest without control, it was contagious enough to join in her laughed, both trying to catch their breaths. Sighing, Star rolled over her back, lying next to him, both looking at the star-spangled sky. Her hand found his, squeezing it in a tight grip.

"No matter what happens, no matter where we go know this, we belong together." They kissed tenderly and if they had been paying attention, they would have seen the faint and muffled glow of their cheek marks glowing in the darkened sky which disappeared the moment they parted from their lips. A chill of wind interrupted their moment and even someone as seasoned as Star was in her former region, this strange and new weather was going to take a while to get used to. Slowly the teens went to their feet, gathering the empty envelopes, the glasses and the almost empty bottle. Smiling with mischief, she was about to drink the whole thing when Marco snatched the bottle from her hand, staring at it, Star hissing in annoyance expecting him to dump the remains in the dirt.

In a move that surprised her, he suddenly tilted the bottle upwards and drank the remains in two long gulps, shuddering at the after taste of alcohol. Star broke down laughing at his actions.

"Careful there wild man…I don't want to drag a half drunk Diaz back to his residence."

Marco for his part felt his buzz returning but he felt well enough to help Star with the rest of the things inside the basket minus the bottle, they could just trash it before arriving at the house. He hissed at the biting cold that enveloped his frame, pulling his hoodie up by a sleeve before he looked at Star, feeling the very same as he was currently feeling. He was about to take it out and offered to her when she instead rolled her other arm into the other empty socket, enjoying his warmth and his closeness.

Pecking at her cheek, the lovers started walking down the hill and for one day in their lives, they could forget about the problems of the world, today they were just Star and Marco, two best friends in love.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **Things are moving at a very quick pace. I am glad everything is enjoying this story a lot.

D4rK


	4. Long Live the Queen

**A/N: **This chapter is more of a background of how things will work at the beginning a new world, nevertheless, I enjoyed it writing it. Please review.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 4.**

Long Live the Queen.

The door slowly opened to the Diaz residence with the teens hand in hand, Marco's still held the basket at his side.

It was past nine when they arrived from their date. Stealthily Marco slipped through the front entrance as Star giggled behind him.

"Sneaky-sneak." She whispered to the darkness while bopping his butt with her index finger. He shot her an annoyed look as his eyes got used to the darkness of the house, looking for any lingering presence of his parents. He heard a squeak and his eyes were drawn behind him with the blonde giving him an apologetic look. Her shoe had stumbled with one of Mariposa's toys that neither had seen. The light to the kitchen suddenly turned on, like a couple of deer in headlights, their eyes widening at the figure sitting in the middle of it with an amused gaze at them.

"Welcome back you too." Angie smirked to herself. "How was the date?"

Swallowing the surprise, Star widely smiled, letting go of Marco's hand to give her a big hug. "Wonderful and magical."

Laughing, the brown-haired woman briefly looked at her son over Star's shoulder before looking back at her. "Did he treat you right?"

"Sure!" Star broke into a cutesy bounce of her feet.

"I mean…" Angie's smile fell, looking at them seriously, the smile on the teens fell as well looking at her with confusion with the room falling down a couple of degrees. "Did he behave like a gentleman should?"

Star tilted her head in confusion, her lips bobbing a few times as she failed to understand her question.

"Was he too…rough?"

Marco growled into his own hands. "Mom! We…I…it's none of your business!"

Angie scoffed at her son. "It is my business alright, Star is a very special girl and she deserves the best, don't you honey?"

Gathering her enthusiasm, Star grabbed Marco's hand, kissing it briefly making the boy to blush. "Marco was exactly as you raised him, just like a well behaved, thoughtful boy that I fell in love with. He did nothing but to made me the happiest girl in the world." Her eyes softened with nothing but love that immediately made Marco's heartbeat to increase, looking back at her with the same powerful emotions.

Satisfied, the woman stood up from the chair, hugging them both tightly against her with a big smile.

"That's all I wanted to hear but…hmmm." She started smelling the air, giving the teens a suspicious looking that spoke volumes of how angry she was getting with Marco and Star mentally cringing, preparing themselves for the onslaught of punishment that she was about to administer, but just like that, her gaze softened. "Just be careful, ok? Oh Star, I prepared the guess room for you today, I hope you don't mind."

The former princess gave her a bright smile. "I did notice, thank you for keeping my clothes after all this time."

"Of course, you're part of this family." She yawned loudly. "Ok, that's my cue, behave children, good night you two."

Marco waved while Star gave her a hug that she returned, waving at them over her shoulder as she went up the stairs and just like that, the teens were left alone once more.

Star punched him on the shoulder, the boy let out a muffled _Ow. _"I love your mom, she's something else." She rubbed at the spot she just punched and motioned to the couch. "Dunno 'bout you, but I don't feel like sleeping, wanna watch Duck-tective with me?"

After a few seconds of silence, Marco nodded. "Do you want extra buttery popcorn or classic?"

"You know this girl loves her butter, get on with it, your princess commands it."

Rolling his eyes playfully, he went up to the pantry, putting a package of popcorn to share with his girlfriend.

Star had already found the reruns of one of their favorite shows in pay per view. She relaxed on the couch, taking off her shoes and placing them on the coffee table in front of her, sinking as far as she could on the yellow couch with a sigh of relaxation. Her nose inhaled the delicious smell of greasy popcorn and her stomach couldn't avoid another grumble, which she patted.

"Soon tummy, soon." She spoke to it, eager to start their cuddle fest.

A few minutes later Marco came back with a tray of popcorn and two large iced tea glasses, smiling warmly at the expression that Star made, it was adorable. They sat down and immediately Star was the first to initiate contact, lying her head on his shoulders and wrapping her right hand over his hips, making herself as comfortable as she could, inhaling his comforting musk. It was a smell that she could never get tired of and it smelled just like Marco. Maybe she should synthetize into a lotion or perfume? No…then the rest of the women in the world would smell him and nobody but her should do so, he was hers. Looking at him sweetly she bopped his mole with a loud _boop,_ the teens laughing just as Marco pressed his face against her long gold locks and gave her a sniff.

She smelled a mix of cantaloupe, marshmallows and candy, it smelled just like Star.

The former princess was glad that they could find comfort in their personal aromas rather than being weirded out by each other. And just like that, Star lifted the remote and pressed play.

A British policeman stood over the crushed body of a man under a telephone booth, looking at it in a very cryptic away.

"I am afraid that your services won't be required sir. Upon examining the evidence, this is obviously a misfortunate accident."

A white duck with a Sherlock Holmes like hat came from the shadows examining the evidence, his eyes focusing on the body.

"QUACK, QUACK….QUAAACK!" He said with the subtitles translating, _an accident….or a murder?!_

The constable gasped, backing up completely horrified.

Star cringed, taking his hand. "Oh no…"

The teenager rolled his eyes. "Duh, of course it's a murder…nobody can't hide anything from that duck."

"Do you think it can find where the wand went?" Star gasped at his declaration.

Marco looked at her with a deadpan expression. "Even more…it can find how Ponyhead stores things in her neck."

The former princess gasped with a horrified expression, both looked at each other and laughed so hard that tears were rolling down her cheeks, holding each other close barely being able to be in the couch from their howler. Both sighed as their laughter subsided, cuddling closer again, eating popcorn from the bowl. Their hands suddenly touched and their lips opened in an exaggerated _O _just like romance when two people that liked touched hands and then giggled. It seemed funny because they had been jumping over their feelings for so long that now it seemed ridiculous now that they thought about it. They watched more episodes, making fun of how ridiculous and cheesy the TV show really was but it was in good fun.

Hours passed and finally the teen eyes were closing, the glow of the TV was the last thing that Marco remembered as his face pressed against Star's shoulder and nodded off, easing up in his dreams.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The world was burning.

A jagged line of sickly purple divided the sky as if it had been torn open. Serrated lines of pink and purple fractured the sky like a piece of glass, splintering the city below in a pulsing mix of blood red and purple accenting the clouds in a perpetual crack of yellow and green flames.

Debris fell from a smashed apartment building tinted red by the fires of the crescendo of destruction that surrounded a boy with a red hoodie. His eyes were widened as the structure caves upon itself and came tumbling down submerging the world in a plum concrete smoke. His reddened eyes couldn't close no matter what he did; it seemed that his body was perpetually paralyzed in the spot, observing with grim detail as the world around him burned and collapsed. The sounds of civilization falling down on him overwhelmed his senses and nothing could stop his growing horror to ease witnessing the destruction.

He was in Echo Creek.

In the distance the Butterfly Castle, after centuries of standing tall and proud finally collapsed with a deafening boom that rattled his teeth, just as the Monster Temple came down at the same time. His mouth tried to move, to say something, his screams trying to bubble their way to the surface, jamming ins his throat, without a decibel. Something clinked in his hands, he looked at it rolling the pendant in his burn fingers, it was Star's spider pendant.

The air unnaturally glowed, there was no wind against his skin, yet it reeked of death. His eyes finally saw something that turned his blood to ice. A massive shockwave perpetually tinted the city in white with a light so bright that he felt his eyes burning and his skin to heat up without being able to do nothing but his own throat to swallow his screams or to cover his eyes from the immense blinding white light.

Now it was him in the eye of the beholder with a gargantuan sound crashing against his ears like if the gates of hell had been opened from the rising mushroom in the distance and the sound of it all made him lose his bladder and just like that, time stopped.

"Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds". A sudden voice cracked through the violent ring in his hears. It was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Marco recognized that voice, he knew about it. His lips their best to move and function.

A sudden snap of fingers gnawed his mind and just like that he felt the weight of the world that forced him to his knees, cradling the dust of the streets in his hands, breathing the agonizing ionized air in his lungs, exhaling what felt like glass. The boy was overwhelmed with his body confused if it was supposed to take or give air back with his throat constricting with the taste of metal in his mouth.

"Breathe nice and easy, kid."

A man-made mushroom of death was in the background and he had to say that? Marco vomited in the ground, looking at his reddened hands which were blistering with radiation, trembling and hugging himself, trying his best to understand it all.

"Oh, but you do, don't you? You do understand" The voice laughed bitterly. "I've existed in here so long that I hadn't looked past the abysm…this is the first time that I have free will to do whatever I want without something to hold me back…it is fascinating as it's horrifying." It sighed. "To think that if Mewmans learned of the true horrors that mankind has done to itself since the dawn of civilization…but death? Death is the most recorded fact upon this world…it is quite fascinating, very interesting to think that two different worlds are so similar in more way than one"

"Gl-Glooss-a-y…r'k" Marco hurled pieces of his decomposed bloody organs on the ground, looking at them with disbelief.

"It is in nature of sentient beings to kill each other. The ground of this new world is soaked in blood under your feet, every inch of it. I've seen it happen since I was born unto this world and whenever you go, it will be always happen like this, after all, life and death is an unbreakable cycle, but the living always want a deterrent for such things to ever happen and you want one, don't you Marco Diaz?"

The boy tried his best to articulate, his body doing times and failing to respond to him, his face melting on the concrete.

"War is coming Marco to an unprecedented scale that puts the conflict between Mewmans and Monsters like a baby on diapers. Something that this world new world has never seen. Perhaps it would be for the better I might say, after all, what are men but the killer of worlds? You reproduce, kill and main each other, you create disease, weapons that no magic in the universe is capable of doing…you're a disease that spreads and kills everything it touches like a virus." The voice laughed. "My, my, even Skywynne Butterfly, the destroyer and reformer of time and space would be driven to tears for what you're capable of, but who I am to judge?" The shape of a crystal materialized on thin air next to the boy, just as two bright rhombus eyes blinked and looked at his decomposing body.

The eyes blinked. "For the first time I will grant you my first act of free will to do what is right and just, a decision that has been remained closed to me. Your heart has always been in the right place Marco…you and Star are something else entirely. You can avoid this…you'll know what to do when the time is right…I'll be watching you two. Tic…"

With a blinding disbelief, a Krakatoa of sound sent him through the air, screaming and at the mercy of the explosion that took him. The last thing he heard over the wind was the crack of a laugh and two glowing pink eyes that burned his soul as his body disintegrated.

"…Toc…tic…toc."

Two hazel eyes opened with a gasp of violent mix of limbs, screaming his throat out and falling violently off the couch. Star screamed, equally as bewildered as him, looking at Marco with terror born in her face.

"Marco!? By the corn!" She hissed, holding the aching limb where his hand had slapped her. "Wha…are you alright? What happened?"

But the boy didn't answer, he held himself, holding his face and trembling, holding himself, liquid terror slipping through his veins. The girl gasped immediately rushing at him, holding him as he kept trembling. She was saying something but he couldn't hear her.

It was so real…was he really here? A whirl bend of emoticons slammed into him. Fear, horror, paranoia, repeating over and over again but something made those emotions to stop and disappear instantly as if he had just been cuddling with Star the night before.

Her hands found him again, just when they found each other in the destroyed dimension of magic, bringing back the warm feeling that he knew that it was completely real. Slowly his eyes gazing at hers, trembling as she smashed him against her body, caressing his brown locks.

"There, there my sweet prince…it was just a bad dream, nothing will hurt you…I won't let them."

He wanted to believe her.

He wanted to tell her about the things he saw…it was…it seemed real. His mind finally acknowledged her and he slumped against her body, wrapping his arms tightly in an embrace, smelling the delicious aroma of her hair. Slowly her warm hands enveloped his cheeks and she kissed him tenderly, giving him a warmth that enveloped him like no other, like a layer of protection that he could never lose. The teens fell down on the ground, kissing, seeking the passion of their partner. The horror that he fell disappeared in an instant, seeking the love of his life and the feelings that only her could convey out of him, suckling on her upper lip. The girl sighed slipping her tongue into his, seeking and dominating his mouth. With a single palm, she pushed him on the ground, straddling at his stomach. The boy looked at her, letting her hands to trail down his torso, resting on his heart and slowly, her body slumped against his with her chin resting on his shoulder.

She giggled suddenly.

"Who knew that sloppy make outs could chase bad dreams uh?" She said with humor. As great as their union was, Star and Marco had discovered a long time ago that they always reassured each other better physically and despite passing the boundaries of their relationship to another level, that would never change.

Marco blinked and then laugh softly, his breath vibrating on her ears making her shudder. His hands hugged her petite frame against his body, his fingers caressing her lower back tenderly.

"Yeah…" He smiled, pecking her cheek tenderly. "Do you mind if we go to bed?" He asked her seriously without any other intention than the words he just spoke and she understood. "I…don't want to sleep alone tonight, I…"

She placed her fingers on lips slips slimming at her soul mate with a smile on her own.

Wordlessly she offered her hand which she took, easily standing him up. The teens gradually made their way upstairs, minding their steps this time, fiddling their way to Marco's room in the darkness. Slowly, Marco craned his head at his parents room before opening the door to his own room, looking at it before looking at each other.

"Imma get changed." They said in unison with widened eyes.

"To sleep." And again.

"Cuddle." Their synchronized speech came again. Both buffed their cheeks in annoyance before they broke down in a fit of giggles. To think that it was still happening surprised them but rather than let it to annoy them, they embrace it as part of their antics. Sighing, Marco started to unbutton his shirt unconsciously unbuckling his belt and undoing his pants while Star looked aside with a big blush on her face. Rolling his eyes at his girlfriend, he stood in his undershirt and black boxers, cracking his back at how good it felt to be off those clothes.

"I…I don't have anything here to get changed." Star told him, still refusing to look at him and biting her lower lips. Marco hummed in response, digging through his own dresser, pulling a shirt that he forgot he had. It seemed to be too big to fit him properly.

"Here." He told her, handing her a Princess Turdina shirt with the word CHANGE written in bold letters and a smaller set of shorts that did not fit him anymore.

The former princess looked at the shirt and giggled. "I didn't know you had this…Princess Turdina uh?" It seemed to be so long ago when they stormed St. Olga to rescue Ponyhead. Her smile fell and she looked at him with a deadly serious expression. "Marco Ubaldo Diaz, you better best to turn around or I'll tell my daddy what you did."

Marco for his part cringed, placating her with his hands, immediately turning around and closing his eyes. The sound of the flop of clothes hitting the ground resounded in his ears and he tried his best to ignore that Star was disrobing him just mere feet from him, his neither regions jolting at the thought.

"Ok, you can look now."

Turning around he was marveled how she looked…she could wear whatever she wanted and Star would always look beautiful. The neck seam seemed to big for her neck seam seemed to big for her own, revealing a part of her naked shoulders, with the shirt standing almost to her knees with the black boxers covering her below the knees and just below she stood with her naked feet on his carpet. The teens looked at each other and smiled, Marco offered her hand which she immediately took, guiding her to his bed and into his covers. The teens huddled together, their feet tangling together, finding the warmth and comforting embrace that only they could bring to one and another, lacing their fingers together. There was nothing sexual in the way they laid, the lovers were best friends in love and like always, their presence brought them an inexplicable comfort that would be always welcome but never the less, it carried an intimacy that they could call their own. Through adversity, pain, loss and hatred they had been together and nothing would change that, not even destiny itself.

Star slowly put her head on his shoulder, breathing his Marco essence and just like that, their eyes started to close until sleep took them.

And this time, Marco slept soundly with the only thing tugging in his mind was Star.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Earlier today._

It had been three hours exactly since the meeting with the mayor.

Moon and Eclipsa were once more rudely waiting in the same room, getting their wits to one and another, never letting their past transgressions to get the best of them once more, knowing that the next meeting would decide the place of the kingdom and its inhabitants.

A man with a dark suit and sunglasses came into the room, observing said occupants and speaking to some sort of device before three more men entered with a man in tow. He was a very tall man, dressed in a finely suit with no tie, with many years behind him. His balding head tilted as he watched said occupants, his bespectacled blue eyes studied the women in front of him before he greeted them with a fleeing smile.

"Happy to make your acquaintance. I am the Governor of the State of California, Dominic Bisignano. Now ladies…we have too much to discuss, how about we go over the other side, hmmm?"

Now Eclipsa, Moon, the mayor and the governor were inside a goatless carriage, with three more following that had not even a single warnicorn to pull it faster than the Mewmans had ever seen, all the way to the Monster Temple. The occupants of the SUV awed at the medieval feel they got for their small city, observing the mismatch of creatures far beyond their dreams and Mewmans who observed as the vehicle came through the gates of the smashed walls of the kingdom, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.

The SUV's stopped shy of the entrance who was currently flanked by two of the Kingsguard Lady Whosits and Sir Cuddles who stood at attention as soon as Eclipsa and Moon appeared.

Whosits bowed. "Queen Eclipsa…we thought the worse with this…situation at hand." She looked around for emphasis. "Are you alright?"

The pale woman bowed back, looking briefly at Moon who decided to stare aside.

"I am afraid that titles such as these are fleeing at this moment notice."

The former Queens didn't have time to dwell on those words.

The crowd of Mewmans and Monsters were approaching the vehicles in question, with many observing with surprised and even fearful gazes at the reunion at the steps of what they took was their current castle with the returning Queen in company of strange men. As if sensing their distress, Eclipsa climbed up to the hood of the SUV before Moon could begin her own speech to the kingdom, directing the attention of the hundreds who were conveying in the muddy streets of the city.

"CITIZENS OF MEWNI." Eclipsa's voice boomed through the streets without even a single chirp from an insect making a sound. "We're gathered her in this new world…I know that you're terrified, shaken even after the battle for the survival of our kingdom and it's people." Her voice bounced across the town with Moon in awe as if she couldn't believe that a person like her could command their entire attention without breaking into a ruckus. "Fret not…what you see now is how life is. This is a new world for Mewni, we've bled, suffered and killed for this great land. Injustices were dealt with and order was restored…even if we have to make sacrifices to reach such result." Eclipsa dared not to gaze back at Moon as she said this. "But everything has changed…the life as we know it has changed, this is a new beginning, a new chapter for our people. Now…a new world awaits and this?" She motioned to the scars of the battle. "This is not the end, it is just the beginning! Because nothing cant bring down the Mewman spirit!" She raised her fist.

A thunderous of applause rumbled through the streets of the torn city, bathing their ears in the noise of the Mewmans.

"ECLIPSA, MOON! ECLIPSA, MOON!" They chanted their names, looking on with satisfied smiles, Moon and Eclipsa held their hands to pacify the muddled screams of the citizens.

"We will convey a meeting on the day of tomorrow, 8 in the morning where everything that has happened will be revealed, as for now citizens, have patience. Go back to your homes, supplies will be given for those that gave so much…bury the dead, there will be a time for mourning but for now, time has come to see what is the next step. Do not be afraid, we're here with you." Moon finished for Eclipsa as now a lighter round of applause came back as the two women waved back to the crowd which started dispersing, with some remaining to whisper among themselves.

The former Queen of Darkness looked at the knight woman in front of her. "I want every able knight and servant that remains to tend to these people. Aid them to get back on their feet, there's so much to be done Lady Whoosits, on the double now."

Standing firm, the woman rammed her armored fist against her chest plate. "It'll be done Queen Eclipsa."

As she parted, Eclipsa sighed, looking at Moon with pain in her eyes.

For her part the silver haired woman didn't know what to say but to extend her hand towards the monster temple.

Blinking the humans looked between each other and started following, in tow with most of his body guards.

A few stayed to watch their vehicles, ignoring the awwwws and stares of the Mewmans and Monsters at the strange but shiny metallic carriages.

As soon as they stepped inside the halls, Globgor was there to receive them smiling widely holding a squealing Meteora, equally happy to see her mother who took her in her arms, hugging her tightly.

"My beautiful baby." The mother smiled, enjoying how her tiny fists wrapped around her hair.

"You were so great out there." Globgor came to her side, craning his neck and pecking her cheek. Partying from his mate, he studied the new men that resided in their halls, wary to an extent. "Welcome to our humble abode." He bowed with as much enthusiasm as his body could manage, big as it was, the humans couldn't help but to be flinch at his monstrous attributes. It put him in a sad mood that even while demonstrating politeness and a good attitude he couldn't even dent the armored fear and disgust that they felt for him, yet like always his Eclipsa was there for him.

"This is Globgor, my husband. I hope the castle is in good condition, at least to have a uninterrupted meeting." She mused, ignoring the gasp that escaped Moon at the jab. "Is the castle safe to be in right now Globgy?"

The red-haired monster nodded happily. "No structural damage, I helped up clean up the debris from the upper levels and mid-levels and we shall start rebuilding as soon as we deal with the citizens."

"Pleasant and direct in dealing with the issues of your territories…we got on the right foot." The Governor smiled and motioned to her. "Shall we get this meeting underway?"

Eclipsa nodded. "Of course." She directed her gaze to her smiling husband. "Would you be a dear and fetch Archibald for some needed refreshments? From the cellar if you please."

"Sure my sugary clovers."

Moon couldn't help but to be amused by the lovers conversation, being quickly reminded of how River was with her yet her eyes melted in contemplation.

"I didn't tell a soul." Eclipsa muttered to her by an earshot. "Now gentlemen…if you please?"

She guided them to one of the untouched rooms in the castle. As they walked the men were engrossed in the fine prowess of the Monster Castle. It was like if traveling to another time. At the end of a hallway, Eclipsa opened a fine and ornamented door, guiding them to a massive studio that seemed to go on forever, illuminated by dozens of candles and fire torches that hung from its walls giving the atmosphere a clean and roomy feeling. Smiling to herself, they huddled close to an oval table and sat down in the cushioned chairs.

Archibald still in his finest clothes flew to the table with a massive tray in his hands. The humans looked surprised at how such a four foot tall creature with small wings could balance such a tray with multiple array of drinks and pastries, placing the tray on the table without much of an effort, he quickly threw a smile towards Eclipsa's guesses, clapping his clawed hands.

"Welcome to the Monster Temple, maladies, estimated representatives, if you need anything else, do not hesitate to ask." He bowed respectfully under the smile of Eclipsa's and the impressed gaze of silver haired woman.

"The pleasure is mine." The mayor finally said out of politeness, yet still he couldn't help but to linger in his frame. If Archibald noticed, he didn't noticed as he nodded at each person in the room before he flew away, closing the massive door with a clank.

Humming in pleasure that everything was now set, the former Queen of Darkness motioned to the table. "Please…help yourselves. We got royal ale, wine, water and the most delightful pastries made by in house made chocolate." She moaned as the taste of Snookers hit her paladar with a succulent bite of her muffin while the rest took drinks out of the tray, setting for ale and wine for Moon.

"Thank you for the hospitality, I must confess that I expected something else entirely." Mr. Bisignano began. "This took us all by surprise, one minute the world transformed upon our very eyes. The sky changed, massive buildings, mountains were born out of nothing and when we saw those…those apparitions in the sky, I thought that it has finally happened, the apocalypse in the texts was about to happen, yet we lack an explanation of why of this happened, I am here to report to my superiors why the world as we know it changed."

Moon sighed, placing her wine on the table. "It came to a shock for us as well. Mewni is a land of marvelous content and wonder. We were born out of the magic in the universe generations ago."

"I am sorry but…magic?" The Governor eyebrows quirked in amusement.

The woman controlled herself at the insult already born in her throat, deciding to still her tongue. "Yet you see this land and their inhabitants and you doubt my words?"

The governor stayed silent.

"Our history is rich and embedded in magic. Across the cosmos, we came to this land centuries ago and we thrived and build the unachievable. I would love to indulge more in the current issues at hand and leave the history of our people for another meeting if that is okay with you."

"That's quite alright." Mr. Bisignano placated her with an easy-going smile.

"Mewni as a land of wonder is also a land of many dangers that lurk at every corner, thus as our kingdom was formed with their many alliances, the first Queen was given a wand of magical power that also served as the heirloom of our Kingdom. It is an artifact of immense power, able to create and cast spells of enormous power. Yet it comes at the curse that if it ever falls in the hands of evil forces, all sort of calamities would befall in our kingdom…yet, even with the so many Queens in our history, they haven't been tainted by the power and the unruly limitations of their Mewmans selves. Many have fallen to the power and temptation of it across a millennia."

"A tale old as time." Mr. Bisignano finished for her. "Please continue."

"Our times have been filled with war since we habituated this land against the Monsters that were here before us. We clashed over and over again through our history. Unleashed terrible atrocities and calamities upon one and another, only through the wand and the force of our warriors, we were able to drive them back, scattered with no leadership across the confines of our land." Moon spoke as the words came from an historical book, making the former Queen of Darkness eyes to frown in disgust. "Yet…it was wrong." Moon sighed, surprising Eclipsa. "We fought one and another where we could have been formed something wonderful, together, because one way or another we're Mewmans. Which brings me to my next point; magic was erased from existence to avoid a bloodshed like any other in our land and to save innocent souls that don't deserve what was coming for them and for it to happen, the only of two different worlds made it happen. Star, my daughter the princess and Marco Diaz, a boy from the former Earth dimension, which bring us to today."

Both men were silent for a minute, exchanging whispered conversation between each other.

"So, was this war about to affect us in any way?"

Moon thought long and hard about her answer, imagining every inch and cranny of the past events. As a Queen, she hated when control slipped from her grip and thus it happened as Mina double crossed her. In her rush to made a made dash against Eclipsa, she had discarded caution to the winds and only listened to her greed to the way things used to be and just like that, she had felt as if the roles were reversed when her own daughter retaliated in the worse ways possible. She needed to make immediate amends to her immediately, yet her truth laid bare.

She answered with brutal honesty. Mina as she was a forced be reckoned with, she was every negative attribute in a Mewman and amplified a million times. She was the living embodiment of the wrongful traditions of Mewman culture, completely prejudiced towards accepting monsters and the change that conveyed that decision. Nor only she was completely insane, but Mina was another sin of the Butterfly family. Solaria in an effort to combat the ever-increasing fighting spirit of the many monsters who were destroying towns and trying to reclaim their ancestral homes, she created something, a spell of such destructive peril that the user eventually lost itself to the power that now cursed through their veins. Moon was completely sure that Mina would have stopped at nothing. As the survivors of the monsters have told her, she tried to kill them all in a horrifying campaign of Ethnic cleansing, just as Solaria had done so many centuries ago. She held no conscience or any believe that she was doing was wrong, just lusting for a never-ending path of destruction and blood lust and with Hekapoo under her influence, it would be sooner of later until she went through each dimension to quench her eternal blood lust for carnage.

Moon had never forgotten the things she saw her do as they rode into battle with their Warnicorns against the monster horde.

While Moon only fought because she had to, because she was loyal to the people and the thought that was the last line of defense between the lives of the kingdoms of Mewni and its inhabitants, regretfully killing and fighting her share of many battles rather than staying cuddled in her castle like a fancy fairy tale, just like Festivia, who had preferred to stay in the castle throwing the wealth of the kingdom in extravagant parties as war raged on the walls and the peasant starved in the streets, killing thousands. Never lifting a finger to fight for a just cause, inebriated beyond belief to even know what was happening, secluding herself to the castle, always under the watchful and manipulations of the MHC.

Mina thrived in murder.

She was born to fight, to rip and tear with a savage smile on her face as she bathed in the blood of her enemies. To ram her foot against those that expressed mercy laughing at their pain, her eyes glowing pink as she killed Monsters, young and old. To what ends her madness have come unhinged? This was the _protector_ of Mewni. More like the Butcher of Mewni, protector of the Butterfly line, lusting for more combat, more killing and savagery.

Moon remembered the last time she employed her. In the days where she was pregnant with Star, dealing with the constant pressures of running her kingdom and her royal duties, she had asked of her a favor to keep the kingdom safe and take care of the problems that _arose_ in the kingdom.

She had smiled, saluting while under her breath muttering the world arose under her breath. Moon had dismissed as another one of her insane rambles, as most were ignorant in clear display of her lack of a health mind, yet she asked her husband to the quest in order for things to be as clean as possible. While her husbands was boisterous and eager for a fight, he wasn't a murderer but an honorable warrior with years of sage instilled by his clan and his years of fighting.

The Kings guard had come the next day bathed in blood with Mina in tow, laughing to the heavens drenched head to toe in gore, claiming that she those sacks of submewman filth will never rise again, celebrating her victory with a bonfire in the castle grounds as the rest of the Kings guard celebrated with her.

Other Mewmans had followed her and praised the spirits about such claim, bringing hundreds to celebrate while bathing in alcohol, eating a feast to celebrate the ultimate victory against their hated foes.

Moon let on the celebration to carry on but strangely, as someone who was equally obnoxious and had a habit into indulging into heavy drinking and partying, her husband River was instead displaying a disgusting expression on his face. It was such a strange display coming from his face, he looked sickened even disturbed.

_River dear…what's the problem? I am sure you did plenty for our Kingdom, don't let Mina to steal your thunder. _

She had laughed at the expression he made back then, but suddenly realized that he was trembling, as if he was afraid of something…and River was never afraid.

Moon felt that something was horrible wrong and that's when he told her.

The _Protector_ of Mewni had the bright idea to get those insects out of their holes. She started to kidnap the offspring's of the monsters across the villages they encountered and then they dragged them to a clearing with many of the offspring's pulling at their chains, crying over their innocent cheeks with pleading eyes for their parents…then Mina and the Kingsguard had doused in tart and sulfur as they screamed and hollered to the high winds. Then Mina called them out of their hiding holes, knowing that the monsters were observing their children.

With a small tear, River had turned around so she couldn't watch as the strong man that she had known her whole life collapsed under tears.

Mina gave the signal and they were set on fire.

River had tried to stop her and the Kingsguard and Mina, but even someone as strong as he was he was defeated by sheer numbers and holding back to really strike back at his fellow Mewmans, they bore loyalty to the Kingdom and their Queen, the King, even for someone as strong and noble as he was, wasn't respected enough to be able to interfere. The moment the monsters screamed for vengeance and to rescue their babies, hidden flying Pegasus with spears had flown from behind, trebuchets and archers revealing to the surprised Monsters.

The King could only laid there in the grip of his countrymen as the sordid screams of the children and the smell of burning flesh assaulted his nostrils as he watched the monsters to rush without an ounce of hope to save their own and yet they tried until there was only but one left, a massive three headed bear like creature with tears running down her cheeks, watching as her babies turned to burnt flesh across her. Mina had dealt with her personally, tearing off her legs and letting her collapse to the flames, dragging her body in a last ditch to save her children, only for the defender of Mewni to grab her mangled body to the flames and dumping her wiggling and screaming corpse as she laughed, telling her burning body that a mother should never be separated from her children.

Mina had called it a mercy and now the monsters could be…happier, in a resemblance to Solaria Butterfly, her ancestor.

She repeated the same trick for six more villages, all while River remained restrained.

And right now, Mewni was celebrating that carnage.

Moon had done something that plagued most of her career, she fired Mina and stripped of her titles and her lands. The people protested, finding that she was everything that they could find in someone that cared for the wellbeing of their kingdom but Moon the Undaunted was not moved in the slightest, she dared anyone to challenge her decision and they stayed silent, knowing too well what she was capable off.

She didn't care that if they resented her, Mina was a danger to the living and that's when she sent her away, hopefully never to be seen again. What annoyed her the most is that her fame only grew, she was in books, memoraphilia and other nonsense who propelled her to the fame of the ultimate hero of Mewni…but only her and her husband knew the terrible truth. Like Star, she thought that she would never come back but history has a bad habit to repeat itself, after all, they were living in it.

That was the very first time where she doubted her principles that had been installed into her since she was a little girl, when she started her own people and their so-called grace and greatness. Like Star before her, she had doubted and abandoned such principles, seeing them for whatever they are. But she was the Queen…her thoughts and feelings were discarded for the wellbeing of the citizens, even if they were xenophobic and ignorant bastards, the lot of them…she was never strong to go against the flow and win just like Star has done, for the first time in the history of the Kingdom.

They didn't call her daughter a Rebel Princess for nothing.

"Yes."

Eclipsa observed her and for a second, the gleam in her eye was one more of the Butterfly secrets that she would take to the grave, yet that twinkle disappeared in her eye the moment the two former Queens looked at each other.

"I see." The Governor conceded her a point. "Well, let's go straight to the situation at hand…what now? I mean." He cleared his throat. "Due the unprecedented events, the government of the United States will not touch an inch of blade of your territory, your sovereignty will be respected. We expect a system to identify and tag each of your citizens, whatever species they are to control populace and the entry to our country as well as a study of any incompatibility with us."

The women blinked.

"Uh…I…I am not sure if we are compatible in that regard?" Moon mused. "I mean, we do look similar."

The man cleared his throat, looking aside. "I mean…diseases? Viruses? Are we compatible to share living space without getting sick? Can we have a list of your current species of your kingdom? Mewman, fauna as well as mapping your territory. Since…your country seems to be the biggest one in the world, appearing right here in the middle of Echo Creek per satellite imaging."

Neither did know what sa…sakeliche imagnery meant, but the little bit of information at the end gorged Eclipsa's curiosity.

"What do you mean the biggest in this world? Are the…territories here so small?"

"Oh goodness no, we're second in size and the first in global economy in the world but now that this happened, this…kingdom encloses a mass of land so big that it could be its own continent. We're still currently mapping it from orbit and we've explored many anomalies that do not make any sense, looking at it from the scientific perspective. We are quite in the loop here."

Moon pursed her lips, extended her index finger for their guess to wait a moment.

"…do you think the other dimensions joined, all at once?"

It seemed an insane thought to ever consider it now that Eclipsa pondered about it. But given the already insane circumstances where they were in, it was a plausible explanation, which brought so many questions to the table that the former Queen of Darkness was already getting a headache. They were so many dimensions across the cosmos that they could fill a three-inch book with them and their contents…what about places like kingdoms or even…

"Oh God."

Eclipsa brought two hands to her mouth at the thought. Once more smiling nervously at the pair of men, they looked strangely as Eclipsa forcefully stood the silver haired woman by an arm and dragged her out of their ears.

The former Queen hissed at the pressure of her arm. "What is it?" Eclipsa mouth opened in an O of surprise. "Well woman? Spit it out."

"The Crystal dimension…"

The implications were not lost on Moon who pondered in this new dilemma. It was just one more list of problems that this chaotic developed had brought. Slowly, she cradled one palm on her head, thinking of the hundreds of monsters, villains and apparitions that she had fought over the decades with the MHC, ending their reign of terror and murder. Though some did not deserve such treatment, she had blindly trusted the MHC. Now that magic was gone, Moon felt like any other regular person, with just her wits and combat experience to show for it. She wasn't a Johansen like River and her strength while not on par with a regular Mewman she suddenly felt insignificant. She groaned, wanting nothing more for this to be over already, but it was merely at least two hours before lunch time.

"We'll deal with it when the time comes Eclipsa, there's so much to be done."

Even to somewhat as easy going with life as Eclipsa was, she suddenly felt as if her back was breaking in half with the weight of the world on her shoulders, even after the frustrations and obstacles she suffered in the few months as Queen, she looked at Moon who was as resigned as this as she was, even if she was still angry at her treachery and her atrocious acts, a part of her admired her to face threat after threat with no hesitation whatsoever and this was just one more on the list, yet Moon deviated from her righteous path the moment Star offered the royal wand back, something broke in her. Eclipsa made a promise right there, she wouldn't abandon Mewni to the forces that tried to destroy it, she would fight for her people, even if she had quitted as acting Queen, she did meant her words back in the office, the moment Star took over, a new era will truly begin…she couldn't wait the day married Marco.

With the task at hand, they reunited once more with the two men. They were too far interested in their wealth, they established plans for treaties, the Governor offered construction to get the kingdom back in shape for a hefty fee as well as plans to help them to map their territory in a way that they thought it wasn't possible…from Space itself. It seemed ridiculous but maybe, just maybe this is what Mewni needed all along.

The rest of the day was spent with planning, writing and the men exploring their kingdom and already Eclipsa could feel the wind of change in their favor. When they adjourned the meeting, it was already over 8 at night, waving at the politicians off as they left in their goatless carriages. There was however one more detail that the women needed to speak alone. That's how they were sitting down drinking iced tea in one of their many balconies, looking at the beautiful and new night sky.

"Eclipsa?"

The woman lifted an eyebrow at the former Queen, as she struggling to speak.

"It is quite alright Moon, what happened, happened." She sighed. "You're not the only one to blame here, you're right…I was selfish. I focused a lot of my time to free my husband, the love of my life from his prison for the first months after I was crowned Queen and I pushed Star for my own personal goals to be accomplished in a rushed manner without taking my time to open the Mewmans with the reintegration of Monster in our kingdom, given our history. Star might help me to pass the laws, but many were indeed not happy, especially after running them away from their homes, even if they weren't theirs to begin with." She sighed. "I am sorry too."

Both fell silent for a minute, just watching the clouds in the sky.

Moon took a sip of her drink before turning to her fully. "We might have our differences but you tried and while I wish circumstances were different, you and Star did what I could never do, you dared."

The former Queen of Darkness lifted an eyebrow unsure how to ponder about her words.

"You're right in one thing, I held a grudge against you, I felt naked without leading my kingdom, insufferable as they are and I fell into some…unforgivable acts that were not too honorable to accomplish my goals through treachery and deceive. I fell like after I emerged from the Magic Dimension, I was a different person and now I feel like, like a tyrant."

"Is that why you told Rhombulus to free Globgor? To see…if he caused damage and destruction in order to tip the scales in your favor?"

The question stabbed into her like the sharpest sword, her gaze unwavering but ultimately, she faced her challenge, nodding.

Eclipsa pursed her lips. "I see…but you didn't count with Star, didn't you?" She looked at her darkly, her gaze shivering with nothing but simmering hatred towards a woman she once thought was her friend. "I wouldn't even discard you at this point that you were the one that tried to poison me that day as well."

The silver haired woman didn't say anything.

Her silence was her answer.

"I see." Eclipsa drank the rest of her drink in one go. "Star promised me that she would help me bring Mewni to a new chapter, I will return her kindness with my own, I will help her in any way I can to help her achieve her goals, just as she helped me and cherished me even through my worse when I sat in the throne, I will do whatever I can to help her and Marco for the glory of an aspiring kingdom for all of us, whatever it takes." She pointed at her with a wavering digit. "You might be the acting Queen at the moment and I will lend my hand to you as well…but do not confuse this as a token of friendship, that thing is over. It is strictly business between us and I will cherish the day where finally Star is crowned Queen…"

Moon stayed silent.

"You're welcome to stay here, until the reconstruction of the Butterfly Castle is complete, but once that's done. You will get out of my home and leave my family alone."

A single nod was her answer.

Eclipsa stood up silently, looking over her shoulder at the woman with pity and thinking what it could be before retiring for the night.

From her part, Moon looked at the new sky in a new world, the stars reflecting against the silent tears that streamed down her cheeks.

Long Live the Queen.

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**A/N: **While the friendship between the two Butterflies might be severed, they will work together to rebuild Mewni back to its former glory and some more. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

D4rK


	5. The Storm

**A/N: **Welcome to another update, enjoy!

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 5.**

The Storm

Marco stirred in bed, completely relaxed. His hands felt for Star at his side and he brushed his hand in her beautiful golden locks, loving how soft it felt in his hands. He had caressed it a few times as a reassuring gesture when they were no more than mere friends but now he felt bold, dipping his entire hand in her golden hair.

"Mmmm Star, your hair is so soft." He whispered, hoping he wasn't waking her too roughly for her liking or sounding too eager to kiss her again. The boy sighed feeling nothing but love for her, cuddling his head against her soft blonde hair and rubbing it fully. Woah…it seemed odd, was her back always this firm? It felt like a boulder. Strangely, his face was starting to get pelted by a strong and rancid smell making the boy to frown heavily and open his eyes; he was about to scold her about the lack of dental hygiene when something inside of him broke, his last breath leaving his throat in a sharp intake of breath.

Staring at him was none other than the former King River, breathing heavily and looking at him with pure murder. Marco cringed, pulling his hand from his beard, paralyzed in fear, his mouth opening and closing in an effort to make an effort and talk but the only thing that got off him was a painful wheeze.

"Marco Diaz…did…you…defiled…my…daughter's…purity?"

The man slowly pulled a short pike axe out of nowhere, putting the sharp end of the pike in his nostrils as the boy lungs did times, doing their best to pump oxygen into his system.

"ANSWER ME!" The warrior screamed at the top of his lungs. That did the trick, in a second, Marco used his forearms to grab on River's and jumped over his shoulders, towards the door, opening it so fast that it left a dent on his wall.

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" He screamed, hearing the massive steps chasing after him.

"LIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!" The barbarian roared, giving him chase downstairs, axe raised over his head in deadly intent as the boy hissed literally jumping most of the steps in the way.

Through the ruckus, the occupants of the first floor looking at the spectacle with Moon, Star and Rafael jumping in surprise. Moon looked at her husband foaming at the mouth, sighing as she took him by one arm, letting the boy that her daughter was romantically involved, hiding behind her with a wild expression on his face. No matter how much River pulled and protested, Moon kept him at bay from killing the younger Diaz.

"LET IT OUT AT ME, HE DID UNSPEAKABLE THINGS TO MY BABY!"

The silver haired woman sighed. "Dear, they just went on a date…it is, well normal for courting, especially at their age."

A cringe of a violent clench of teeth came from the barbarian, murdering Marco with a look as his grip tightened in his axe.

Rafael who had looked at the attempt of murder of his son limited himself to sip his cup of coffee. "River, please. We raised our son to be a gentleman and I trust in his judgement."

The barbarian wasn't persuaded, his eyes stabbing in the nervous looking Marco, though he finally lowered his axe. In an instant, he placed two of his fingers to his eyes and pointing it at Marco in a universal gesture of _I got my eyes on you._ And for good measure, he tilted his axe, pointing the pike at him. Moon guiding him to the other end of the couch, forcing him to sit down in the couch, grumbling curses in Mewman. Moon sighed at his antics, taking his axe away from him and clipping it to her belt instead, frowning as the insufferable man crossed his massive forearms and looking away, trembling as his anger bled away.

Marco finally relaxed behind Star, letting his breath go in a relieved sigh. Playfully rolling her eyes Star took him by the sleeve of his grey undershirt, forcing him to be besides her. Making sure that her father was watching, she pushed him against her, pecking his cheek sweetly, giggling at the expression that he made. Moon huffed annoyed that once more her husband was foaming at the mouth, barely able to contain himself at the display and she in turn threw her daughter a nasty look which failed to persuade her from such acts in front of them.

Star didn't even care. She had earned the right not to.

"Uh…Marco, you're a little underdressed at the moment." She giggled as the boy looked at himself in his sleeping clothes while company was visiting their residence. He looked at himself and then at Star's parents. The boy groaned and raced upstairs to get changed as Star returned to her seat once more with an amused shake of her head, finally turning to her father with a disapproving glare.

"What?" River said, unable to perceive why would his daughter looked so upset. He was doing his job as a father! Her little fighter flower wasn't going to be stay undefended from a boy, even if that boy was Marco.

Star opened her mouth before Moon could. "Dad! You don't have to chase my boyfriend with an axe, in his own house!" She threw her hands up the air completely annoyed. "And it's Marco…the boy I fell in love with, you know, the same Marco who has put his head in the line saving Mewni time and time again."

"He's a boy…" River squeezed his fists so hard that his bones cracked from the pressure, as if that phrase alone should be explanation enough and satisfy all parties but he got upset when Star instead hissed, glaring at him with pure murder in her eyes and he shrunk in his seat, unable to deal with it.

Moon looked at her family, finally letting her head to fall on her waiting hand with a dejected sigh.

"Marco is an appropriate choice for Star. You know Marco very well and we are indebted for how many things he has done for our kingdom…plus they are young and courting dear, please let them be. We were young too once, right my love?" Moon mused.

The man looked like he was about to protest but an imploring gaze from his wife finally melted from his defenses, looking at his daughter with sadness as she sat on her seat with crossed arms and still frowning looking at the wall. Like a lost puppy, his lips trembled with emotion looking at his 16 years old daughter. He remembered the first time he held her in his meaty hands, barely big to even fit in both of them, looking at him with the most precious shade of blue eyes that he had ever seen, brighter than the diamonds in the world. Her fingers squeezed his thumb and he could feel her power, knowing that she was destined to great things. As she grew and his duties piled on him desk and the battles that he personally led, he always had time for his precious bundle of joy. He remembered how much of a rebel she was when she was younger, through that phase that better even not dwell on it, but now, sixteen long years later, she was a young woman that had lived through so much, he just wished that he had been stronger to not let his precious flower to go through everything that has happened, but now, he needed to face the facts, Star was now a woman of age and as such, he trusted her to make her own decisions.

She was a strong, independent woman who had enough strength to crack a skull, who have gone against impossible odds and had come triumphant. The man looked at his own hands, once more remembering his baby girl, gazing once more at his angry daughter, with his eyes wetting with tears which he brushed as soon as they fell. A real warrior faced challenges dead on and this was just one more of them in the way. Taking a deep breath, the man exhaled, facing with a dilemma that had plagued him for most of his adult life…she was a young woman know.

"You're right…our baby girl isn't a baby anymore." River admitted to his wife who looked at him with surprise, never expecting him to mutter a combination of those words. "We must let her do her own decisions and…I won't interfere."

Star who had tried to get lost in her anger, felt it leaving her immediately as soon as she heard her father, looking just as surprised as her mother. Sighing, she looked at her estranged father with a weak smile, not quite forgiving him but to finally acknowledge her that she was growing up was a relief.

"Dad…" She smiled, completely touched.

River bowed to her daughter and then to Rafael. "I ask humbly that you forgive me for trying to cleave your son in two and spread his bowels in this very room."

If only that American Mexican to laugh thinking it was just one more of those stranger customs, never realizing that his son had been in terrible danger just mere minutes ago.

"It's ok River, all of you are part of this familia…now we're just missing my dear wife and we can begin our breakfast."

The former princess shook her head as her ears perked over her boyfriend finally coming downstairs dressed in his usual style of his red hoodie and blue pants, smiling at him as he awkwardly cleared his throat, clearing his throat loudly.

"Uh, good morning everyone."

"Did you freshen up?" Star asked him playfully.

Laughing, he went to her side, sitting down at the opposite side of the former King and Queen, trying to avoid the gaze of Moon, even if she seemed friendly now, he didn't forget for a moment what she did but he refused to let his displeased thoughts to dictate the moment. For a fleeing second, he looked around.

"Where's mom?"

"She went out early in the morning mijo, she said that she had an errant to do, she took your sister with her." His father answered.

Marco was about to suggest having breakfast before the King grunted, waving a hand in his direction. For reassurance he looked at Star, his terror came back to tenth fold before she took his hand and squeezed it with a smile.

"A word, boy." River crossed his massive arms against his barrel chest, looking through him, as if he didn't want to do what he just muttered. He looked once more at Star who gave him a thumbs up and he stood up, following the former king to the backyard.

The man said nothing, he stared at the newly formed sky and the bed of flowers that his mother always tended to. The breeze blew just blew then, making the boy to shiver slightly, still trying to get used to the weather in question. River turned around so fast that it made Marco almost react into fight or flee, studying him from top to bottom with a judgmental gaze.

"Give me your hand." He demanded.

Confusedly he looked at his own right hand before extended it to the former king. He took it just as Marco cringed expecting his tendons and bones to be crushed in his massive strength but instead, he took it firmly, tenderly even, studying his digits and the texture of his palms, comparing it to his own massive hand. His eyes locked with his once more, placing his other hand around his bicep.

"You've seen a lot of combat, even if you're so young" River muttered after a few seconds of silence.

Marco said nothing, not knowing if he knew about what he had gone through his experience of sixteen years in that cursed former dimension. The things he lived through were fleeing and going, but his experience changed him a great ordeal and it helped him to move quickly through knight training, almost like being a second nature to him. Despite his proficiency with the sword, he learned to do other things as well including wearing and moving in plate armor with relative ease, even if his current body hadn't been on its peak, his muscle memory remained.

He hadn't told Star what he had to do to survive. The type of people that he allied himself to…the type of people he had to kill to survive.

But nevertheless, the former King knew it. From warrior to warrior, his sage triumphed against his own desires, listening to his instincts.

"You've defended Mewni while asking for nothing, over and over again. I haven't forgotten your deeds and the way you went through your training, as if you had been it doing for a very long time…you're an odd one Marco but…" He closed his eyes, swallowing his fatherly instincts down. "I trust you with my life, Star trusts you with her own and so the rest of Mewni. You got my approval to court Star, even if you don't need it because frankly will kick my tush to the sky, you earned it fair and square, she clearly loves you with all her heart. I don't care if the rest of the nobles don't see it, you don't come from a noble family, you don't have lands, peasants in your care but you know what? Screw that, you're a warrior with a heart of gold, compassionate for those you care about and you found it in your heart to help Star to shine like never before after she came back from Earth." He made a pause, walking to his mother's bed of flowers. "You willingly left your home, your loved ones and your friends to be with Star once and you helped to save Mewni against all odds…Marco Ubaldo Diaz, you have my eternal gratitude. I am glad that my daughter found someone like you, you completed each other, come here son, give me a hug!"

Touched, he didn't hesitate to hug the shorter man, who hugged him firmly, patting his back.

"Welcome to the family, just as your own offered its kindness, I shall return it tenfold." The man smile then dropped, tilting his face so close to him that his beard was already invading his personal space. "But if I found out that you hurt a single hair of my precious daughter…if you cheat on her or misguide her in any way, I swear on my ancestor's that you will know the true meaning of pain." His teeth cringed with a growl.

Marco wasn't the less intimidated, this time feeling insulted and angry at the man. "If that's the case…" He took his meaty hand off him with a strength that seemed to rival the man in front of him, surprising him greatly, even more when he put it on his stomach. "I will help you guide the sword to my gut."

Both men looked at each seriously before River gaze broke down with a deep laugh, slamming his palm on his back with a meaty slap.

"My boy, you surprise me." He smiled, partying from Marco as he sook his head in amusement. "I misjudged you." He grumbled, pulling his satchel at his side, opening it up and giving him something thick wrapped in a course handkerchief "This is for you my boy, don't make me waste it in you. Be sure to open it during breakfast." Nodding at him with respect the man went back into the house leaving a confused Marco staring at the object in his hand, going inside as well.

Rafael was already serving breakfast burritos with gooey sour cream, shredded chicken and guacamole with an array of drinks on the table like orange juice and coffee. It hadn't been the first time that the Butterfly parents have been in the residence, but it was the first time where they were together and having breakfast.

Not forgetting what he discussed with River, the boy placed the wrapped object on the table. Star and Moon looked elated, smiling at it. Confusedly he unwrapped it carefully revealing a piece of wrapped pork with the word SORRY carved on the meat itself. It looked fresh and thoughtfully cooked. River grunted nodding at him.

"That's how we the Johansen say our apologies to each other. I give you my meat, the one I hunted myself as a token of my appreciation and I beg your forgiveness. I work for your forgiveness rather than my benefit" He motioned to his meat. Marco looked at Star for guidance who chuckled.

"Just eat up Marco, accept it."

Shrugging, Marco accepted the offering, cutting off a piece and bringing it to his mouth. The strong gamey taste was surprising but not unpleasant as River nodded in acceptance.

Rafael didn't even bother to question the custom, he just smiled through the whole thing, turning to serve the former Queen.

Moon looked confused at the flat burrito on her plate, not knowing what to do with it. Star shook her head and prepared it for with chicken, pico de gallo, sour cream and soft guacamole on top, rolling it with her palms and present it to her.

"And…you're saying that it is made of corn?" Moon asked, getting a positive hum from Star who demonstrated how to eat it, almost rolling her eyes at how delicious it was. The silver haired woman slowly brought it to her mouth and took a small bite, getting a mouthful, her eyes widening to comical detail, taking another bite.

Rafael nodded. Another one brought to the good side of Mexican goodness!

The former king who was used by far to the Earth cooking, shoved his burrito up his pole, never minding his manners, slurping his hot coffee without complaining about the temperature, loving every second of it with his wife in an almost safe fashion, not used to this type of food whatsoever, after all, most of their diet consisted of corn prepared in many different ways with meat always being a side dish.

Star and Marco looked at each other and laughed in amusement.

The sound of keys jiggling stole their attention from the dining table to the front door. Angie opened the door, pushing it open with her back-holding Mariposa and something in a bundle that made Star to squeal loudly interrupting the breakfast.

Smiled at the crowd, Angie presented the new member of their family.

It was a puppy.

But not just a puppy.

The fur was an ashen brown with streaks of black lines with a a dark colored snout sniffing the room. The face was of a lighter gray, thick clawed paws paddling the empty air. The moment his unnatural glowing blue met with Star's and Marco's, they felt something strange, as if something was trying to enter their mind, a foreign presence curling around them. It was something ancient and primal, something that has been on Mewni for a very long time. Their mouths opened in shock, looking at it with alarm, trying to describe what they felt. They felt something pulsing, a foreign need to feel the pup which seemed to be sniffing the air, tilting its head to look fully at them. The encounter might lasted less than two seconds but for the lovers, it felt like an eternity. They snapped back as if they had been captured in a trance the whole time.

Moon looked alarmed and even River took a step back.

"Angie dear…where…where did you found that…that animal?"

The youngest member of the family was making saliva bubbles, wrapping her tiny hands around the face of the animal which remained unperturbed.

The woman smiled at her daughter and turned to face the former Queen. "A lady, that looked like a Mewman was selling it across the street. She said she only found one but, it looked so cute and well, with the puppies gone, the house felt too alone. My daughter, well, most likely everyone was missing having a four-legged friend in the family. The puppy looked too cute not to get it" She smiled, hoping that her expression was sufficient, but it wasn't.

Even Star looked a tad perturbed.

"That…that puppy is a warg wolf. It is one, if not the most one of the most savage predators in Mewni and you're holding it across your chest. I thought they were extinct, it must have lost its mother." The silver haired woman explained. "Though it has been a long time since I saw one myself. Give it to me, we need to dispose of it immediately."

The woman gasped, looking at it in surprise but it was Star who jumped across her path, stopping her in mid step. "That…that's not necessary. We'll take good care of it, I promise."

The warg peeled his large teeth, its front ones a little bit bigger than his small ones at Moon, its blue eyes glowing with an intensity that seemed to vibrate the room. Star immediately took the bundle of the pup in her arms as it whined and licked at her face. The former princess awed with a giggle, rotating on her feet.

"How can you say that this bundle of joy is a blood thirsty killer? He's adorable!" She smiled, booping its wet nose.

River cleared his throat. "Well…that is until he grows to 25 stones. They also grow to a larger size when threatened…. much, much bigger. As big as the first floor of this house. Or so the legends say…I never saw it myself happening"

"Neither did I." Moon added, crossing her arms.

Marco did a quick calculation in his head, gasping. "That's…350 pounds." He cringed at the information. But once more, his eyes were drawn to it, observing it in Star's arms. There was something telling him that it would be completely alright, he felt it in his mind. Slowly he extended his hand to it, letting it sniff it, tilting his head and looking at him with those eyes, black irises digging into his. It tilted its head and let it be pet by him, growling softly and seeking his palm, the soft fur feeling soft in his hands. Get out of town…how could anyone say that this was a killer animal? He immediately shared a look with Star who giggled as it started to lick her fingers as it rubbed its head on her Marco's hands.

"If you're so sure Star…" Moon sighed, knowing that once her daughter had an idea, she would be too headstrong to get out of it. "Though I do recommend that you research on them. Your ancestor Solaria used them for combat, a very long, long time ago. Maybe it is time for you to head to the library in the village for some refreshing research."

"Yup." Star nodded without hesitation shocking her mother into silence. Neither an annoyed grunt or a roll of the eyes was met with her words. Perhaps there was hope for her, yet. "Do you even have a book on them?"

Curling her hands into her lap, Moon looked at her intently. "The book still exists."

"The book of spells? But…how? Glossaryckk's gone." She looked at Marco who looked as confused as she was. "His life was linked to the book."

"There's a lot of things that I still don't understand myself darling. I guess it is a new beginning, for all of us."

Star didn't know what to think, disturbed at the information. Shaking her head, she instead looked at a distraction and what was best than the fur ball in her arms?

"How should we name her?" Marco asked her, feeling for between the tail to confirm its sex.

For a moment, Star hummed, liking how their feelings and thoughts were always so linked with each other, enough to read each other thoughts.

Crossing her arms, she thought about his question before the inspiration strike her like lightning.

"How about…Eowyn?"

Marco rolled the name between his tongue, finding a liking for it, nodding at Star who held the puppy between their hands. Mariposa giggled extending her hands towards it and Angie after the imploring gaze of her son, she let it pet it. The puppy sniffed her, rubbing its wet nose on her face bringing a happy squeal from the baby.

River and Moon looked at each other in resignation with the silver haired woman rubbing head to stay the incoming headache.

"We have matters to discuss dear." The woman looked at her seriously, changing subjects. "Eclipsa is currently dealing with a royal meeting in the Monster Temple, I know what you said Star but, we exist once more as a Kingdom. The Butterfly bloodline still govern these lands and its subjects"

That gave a pause to Star who frowned at her mom. "But I thought that it was over. This is a new world." She said waving her hands around.

"Oh Star." Moon gave her a sad look. "This forces our hand, this situation. We cannot be without unity, without leadership, if you think that the kingdom fell apart, now imagine it now. Without communication, after a battle or word of their alliances and interests. We cannot just remove the matriarchy that has been in charge of Mewni for generations. It doesn't work just like that."

"So…I am a Princess again?" Star asked after a few seconds in shock, sitting down in shock with the warg licking her face but she didn't feel it. Concerned, Marco placed a hand on her shoulders, caressing it tenderly.

Moon sighed, sitting next to her just as River sat at her other side.

"And you're the Queen once more?" The blonde asked her, frowning heavily. "I haven't…I haven't forgotten." She told her with brutal honesty, stabbing her with a look that even Moon felt deeply in her heart, hissing as if in pain.

"Eclipsa…is taking care of all of our issues at the moment with our allies, noble houses and other representatives. We must have a meeting with her after our talk, it is very serious."

"My family is also asking for an immediate private meeting." River admitted.

"Just as mine." Moon added with a roll of her eyes.

"So…she's just going to quit, just like that? After all we went through?" Her tone dipped down in an accusatory manner in complete disbelief, her mind in turmoil.

Marco's heart went to her.

"She said so herself, I…didn't force her." Moon pursed her lips, her hands nervously wrapping around her forearms, hating the way that her own daughter was looking at her as if dripping with irony.

For added effect, Star laughed sardonically. "I am sure you didn't."

"It will be done in a public coronation. We spoke after the reunion with the representatives from the other side of the fence." Moon continued, trying her best to ignore the pain simmering in her heart.

Star growled, lowering her head, her bangs covering her face as she trembled in fury. The warg seemed to feel it, seeking the warmth on her face. When she came to be, her eyes were red from her anger, locking her eyes with Marco, who immediately understood.

"C'mon Marco, let's take a walk. I can't be over here right now." She immediately stood up with the puppy in hand.

Marco came back with one of the old puppy collars and a leather guide. Smiling at her boyfriend, she placed the puppy on the floor and put it on her. It looked confused but ultimately it stirred her back legs and was eager to explore the world without protest to her new owners.

Angie and Rafael hugged them with the woman throwing her a look of sympathy. She was unaware of the many events that had happened, but the sad frown on her face immediately moved her to action, her protective motherly instincts not having it. Pecking her cheek, the woman caressed her hair and smiling sweetly at her.

"Be careful out there you two and always know this, this is your home."

Relaxing under her warm embrace, Star smiled, finding reassurance with the tender woman across her, never sparing a look at her own parents who looked hurt. River for his part looked torn, but he understood.

Moon on the other hand took it in earnest, recoiling as if she had been slapped across the face. Angie Diaz was showing something that she could never do and she hated herself for it, she showed that she cared, something that after years of suppressing her emotions and acting through protocol had enclosed her in a block of ice towards her loved ones.

"Just…talk to me at 2 Star, please…there is so much to discuss." The Queen muttered but it was as if talking to a wall. Star and Marco didn't say anything to her, marching ahead of the door. The last sight they saw of them was Marco briefly turning to look at her and shaking his head sadly before the door shut down and finally, Moon couldn't resist the urge to sink on the floor and cry. Though her experience in these matters made her face to go back to a stony expression showing not an ounce of sadness in her face.

But River knew, immediately holding her hand.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Star snarled, twisting her hands in the air, walking through the streets of Echo Creek.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE HER!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "You damn poophead!" She hissed with a fury to rival Solaria, squeezing her shaking hands. The warg took Marco's side, looking at him worryingly, just as he did.

Marco placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezed, but it was like if trying to cover an erupting volcano with a plastic lid. She ignored his touch, getting lost in her anger and the type of thoughts that resurfaced. For a moment Marco swore he saw the outlines of her heart cheek marks or it was just how red her face had gotten. He knew her mannerism well enough to know that this was not the end of it, but just the beginning of her rage.

In hindsight she should have expected this. To think that she had forgiven her mother after the stunt she pulled, but no…she was still a cheating snake. To think that she once looked at her for guidance and comfort as an example to follow. Best decisions for her people my ass! A hiss escaped through clenched teeth and this time Marco had enough, turning to face her, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her which she immediately shrugged off intending on keeping walking.

But he didn't let her.

Challenging her would certainly bring him her wrath to him but he didn't care.

"Star please. Let's just sit down and talk." He implored her, his warm chocolate eyes immediately melting through her defenses, her weakness! She finally relented with a sigh, slouching against him attracting the attention of some but they backed down the moment that Marco glared at them with more aggression than he intended. The park wasn't far away, he took her by the hand with Star gaze dead to the world while his other guided the warg, who was mostly focused on the sights and the smells. They sat down on a bench close to the pond.

The day was beautiful on its own. The sun was brightly glowing through the pinks and oranges of the clouds and he could the biggest moon of Mewni with its own belt of asteroids hovering around it. Slowly, he turned his sight to what really mattered, putting his hand around her. Star melted at his touch, letting her body to drop against his. They stayed like that with Eowyn watching the ducks in the pond with hunger.

As always, he hated himself for what he was about to do, but she beat him to the punch.

"So much for going back to be a teenager." She sighed dejected, looking at the ducks in the pond as well. "I hate this Marco."

Just like in the morning, he caressed her golden lucks, liking how she seemed to lean more into his touch. "Me too Star, but my words still remain."

"Rule Mewni my way?" She sighed but then looked at Marco with alarm. "Uh, Marco, I don't if you know this but, since technically you're courting me…it is expected that as a future rule of Mewni that I need, uh, a future King of Mewni since I've became of age." She blushed looking away, knowing that things like that weren't how they worked on Earth.

The boy paused, his eyes widening. "Ma-marriage?"

It's not like he hadn't considered. Before the mess began of hiding his emotions, as his love for her was born, he envisioned how it would work. Naturally, he knew that they would have to marry her as expected from a person in her position. Her eyes looked so downcast, but he immediately reassured her taking her chin in his hands.

"Sure, why not?"

Her mouth opened and closed, disbelief stretching into her.

"Star, I threw my life and my family away to be with you without a second thought. I leaped into dangers to protect you; do you really think I am going to let you face those _vultures_ along?" He laughed at the expression she did. "You're my lifeline Star, my nacho sharing, sweet princess that I fell in love with…I just hope that I am not rushing things too fa-"

He was interrupted by Star latching into him, pecking his face with kisses, almost dropping him off the bench. The warg looked at them in confusion before it snorted, looking at the pond once more.

"Are you sure Marco? This…is, wow, a big step, I mean, we've been courting for two days and I am asking you to marry me…I just hate to impose you on this because the kingdom is getting back on its feet, if not I would have never said anything! Those idiots will start talking smack to my mother about it and…I…I don't want to be away from you" She said with a frustrating clench of her teeth, hating how much this situation was forcing her hand.

"I know Star." He sighed. "Most likely the nobles will keep pushing your mom to send all sort of suitors."

They both shuddered at the same time.

Star looked at him. "Do you really want to marry me?" Her eyes glowed with unshed tears, still not believing that this was really happening.

But the boy wasn't even in the slightest mortified, taking her hands firmly against his "When I told you that I would be forever by your side, I meant that literally." He took a deep breath just like with his confession in the pig-goat barn. "I, Marco Ubaldo Diaz announce that I shall henceforth be your King, to stay by your side in times of peace or danger, as your most trusted confidant friend, husband…to go clubbing with you even if I am too tired or if our duties are in the way. To prepare my nachos at any time of the day and most importantly…to be your soul mate as long as we're alive and after until the end of times…do you accept?"

This time she couldn't help herself, throwing her entire body against his. "YESSSSSS! A MILLION TIMES YESSSS!" She cried with tears of joy, grabbing his face and kissing him with enough strong to steal his breath away making him see red, wishing that that they were in a more private setting to show her what he truly meant for him. They both caressed the warg who had seemed scared at their outburst, deciding to instead climb on Star's lap to watch the ducks in the pond.

They stayed in the same spot, reaffirming their vows to each other. Unfortunately, her nagging feelings didn't go away and by the way that she was looking at the sky again, Marco knew that this was far from over.

"Do you really think I would be a good Queen?"

"Technically Star, you've already demonstrated that through Eclipsa in these months." He made a pause to see how she took his words. Good, she was all ears. "Eclipsa is a good person, no doubt about it…but she wasn't fit to be a Queen…I guess, just like you, she was just born into it. She demonstrated maturity and she knew how to handle many issues thrown at her, but who do you think was in the sidelines, political maneuvering the kingdom into success? He looked at her again as she kept staring forward. "Who fought tooth and nail against the Mewmans representatives to deal with so many issues, not only the monster rights? The nobles? Your own family? While also fixing Eclipsa's mistakes and also protecting her from danger while you didn't even have time for youself or Tom, when you were dating him... You Star."

"That's no-"

"Star, look at me."

She conceded to his demands with a deep sigh.

"You are Star, The Underestimated. Do you think your own mother believed in you to do what was right? Do you think that anyone believed in you? Hell, even I doubted you when we first met." She laughed at that, making him chuckle. "But you sure showed us all…your dedication, your pursuit of equality and your sense of justice, your optimism that is such needed in times like these. I saw you change before my eyes…you became stronger, responsible and you started to think Mewni first after your own needs…you did the impossible and you spurted the change that I needed to be a better person as well…in fact, I dare to say that you completed so many lives with you just being in it…you completed me"

Star blue eyes sparkled, sighing into his chest. "I wouldn't have done it with you my beautiful Marco. You never stopped believing in me…even if my own mother and Mewni lost faith in me, you never did."

He took her by the cheek and pecked her lips softly. "And I never will…I just wished that we've taken that leap long time ago."

She giggled. "I knoooow! It would've made things less an awkward-fest, man we're so dense!"

"Tell me about it, you should've started ruling Mewni, not Eclipsa." He laughed and he immediately hissed as her expression changed to one of terror. "Star, I…I didn't mean it." Sighing, he looked away.

"No, it's time we face reality." Star said with conviction. "Mom's right, we cannot just remove our family from the kingdom, even if what she did is unforgivable. I got to think now of all of its subjects and allied kingdoms…once more it's going to be a lot of work and blauggh, with now the Earth around us it is going to be even more work to keep everything in check instead of everything going to hell."

"Hey, I am right behind you." Marco said smiling widely.

She sighed in happiness, looking at the single pleasures of lives, as if was the last time she would do so. "I guess being a teenager was too much to ask for, but we made this Marco" She motioned to the world around them. "And we kinda owed to them, our love made this new world. We need to face every challenge head on." She knew that they were rushing into the storm together and the thought immediately made her grab his hand for the comfort she craved.

"And we will." Marco's eyes were shining with determination, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders. "As long as we're together…"

"…we can do anything." Star completed for him, falling for him once more guiding his face to her waiting lips and they would 'be in smooch land if it wasn't for the sounds of an alarmed quack and then the terrifying sounds of bones breaking resounded through their ears. They looked down in alarm watching the warg had jumped from Star's lap, swallowing a small duck with its cute orange legs dangling before she tilted its head upwards and swallowed, coughing white feathers.

"EOWYN!" The teens screamed in unison.

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**A/N: **Sorry about the short chapter, but things are finally taking shape in this new world. Expect many new additions towards the incoming chapter. Thank you all.

D4rK


	6. Fuel

**A/N: **This is the chapter where the rating changes. I hope you enjoy

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 5.**

Fuel

Relearning Mewni was surely going to take a while, at least that was the thought that Star had as she stared marveled at the changes that Mewni have gone through. The worlds might be cleaved together, but the difference in the terrain was clearly noticeable. The land looked more fertile and cleaner with the roads better maintained. As promised by the treaties already worked on, in their side many construction vehicles had started going off into their territory and it wasn't the first time as the two worlds met for the very first time, terrified of each other, but they had a job to do. Curiously she watched fast flying air vehicles in the air. She knew what they were and as impressed as she was with the technology, she was more interested to observe Mewmans freaking out over their more technology advanced counter parts.

That's how she found the village that her mother and her father had begun, with a long crane putting some things in place. The Mewmans were still on high alert in the small territory, some had weapons on them, terrified out of the unknown and of this new world, even if they hadn't been attacked, it created a gap of leadership that not even River could fill in in short notice with nobody being able to be combat effective…they were just peasants and at most people of low status that had been forced off their homes by Eclipsa's and her own laws.

She knew of the consequences, yet the rights had to be respected. It was the start of a new era and she could at least appreciate that her mother gave them new housing, housing and a new beginning. But it didn't mean she was off the hook for what she did.

Star had instead sent Marco off with the warg to the Monster Temple. He ended up renting a carriage towards the new palace, an hour from where they were. Rather than complaining at the situation, he had kissed her and pulled his scissors, staring at them for a long time until he went off view. She sighed knowing all too well the feeling, this was going to take a while to get used to. She immediately missed his presence and couldn't wait to inform her mother about it and to the rest of the kingdom.

The doors to the village were open for her and as expected, she wasn't well received. They knew her as Eclipsa's top advisor with people openly scowling at her. They probably blamed her for most of the things they had went through and they'll be right, but she wasn't in any way intimidated or cared enough to let the ignorant rabble of peasants to intimidate her, this was a new world and justices were deemed to be paid, if they didn't liked that? Well, fuck them. But she couldn't help but to feel hurt. One Mewman went as far to spit close to her shoes as she walked pass him, laughing at her. She hissed, turning around to face him and didn't expect a woman to pull her robe down enough to expose some skin to the empty air as the onlookers cackled at her.

Snarling she was more than ready to knock his teeth off when her father appeared behind an empty carriage and did the deed himself, using his massive strength, he took the man from behind and hauled off like a sack of potatoes into a barn of Warnicorns, falling in a pile of excrement.

"You got a problem with my daughter Jarian?!" He barked at the top of his lungs. The man flipped around, waddling in the excrement and stood up backing up, not even having the confidence to even clean himself up before he ran off.

Star openly scoffed at her father.

"You didn't have to do that…next time Imma drown him in that shit." She whispered-screaming at him, too pissed off at the situation in the morning and about the thing that just happened.

Her father growled at the woman who had done the deed and she turned around sharply, going to the other way. Clearly her father wasn't happy in the slightest and that put brakes on the anger she felt. Though if she received another rough treatment, she was busting some skulls. Most likely the coronation was going to be as soon as possible, but now, she was a commoner and that let get her the right to knock their jaws off.

Magic or no magic, nobody messed with her. She had been trained to rip and tear since an early age and she wasn't going to take it. Her time on Earth and through combat had hardened her to make her less gullible and naïve that some people did not deserve of her kindness and were best off to tell them to eat warnicorn shit. If these people had seen her blowing stuff up with her magic, she couldn't wait to show them what she could do with her fists or with a sword. Her anger simmered as River walked her out towards the large two-story yurt that served as the village chief. That's how she found her mother, sitting in the lounge 'room' while sipping a cup of tea, looking outside of her window.

When the Butterflies stared at each other, her mother looked serious, looking at her with her scary face, as if she had was just now in the now defund butterfly form. She was shaking slightly and trying to keep her composure.

"Hello mother." She greeted her with the most neutral way possible, but she didn't talk to her, she just turned around and looked outside her window. From her view, she could see the main room and she knew that she had seen what happened.

Sighing, she crossed her arms. "I didn't come here to start a scene." Star told her before she could even make her case. "It's obvious that these douchecanoes are angry and blame me for this as much as Eclipsa, if not more." She glared openly at the way that some Mewmans had gathered in front of the small dirt road that would guide up the yurt and even Moon looked far off her fuse to not let it show in her usually cool as a cucumber attitude, not even scolding her for foul language.

"River darling…do you mind telling the rabble outside our home to disperse. There's so much to be done…I don't have an ounce of patience left." She was shaking slightly as she said this, not even looking at him. Understanding the seriousness of the situation, her father could only nod, throwing a last look over his shoulder to Star who flashed him briefly with a smile and saw him go, cackling deeply entertained as her father screams rattled through the main road and they ran away like scared goat-pigs.

Now that they were alone, Moon closed the curtains and turned to her with a fleeing moment of sadness before she became Moon the Undaunted and not Moon, her mother.

"I am sorry Star." Her hands crossed, nodding her head briefly at her. "Please, let's go upstairs to talk."

She didn't say anything but nodded and followed after her, looking at the walls. It had an interesting decorum even if they had created this town from scratch. It was very spacious and she commented on it, liking how much Johansen it screamed at her with even having a bear and a stag already dressed and pinned to the wall. Opening a red velvet curtain, her mother guided her to a small and comfy that had two leather seats around a short round table. The lanterns were clear enough where she could observe the room in question and she frowned at the small rock altar that held the book of spells, staring at it with a mixture of nostalgia and pain for a world that would no longer be with them.

Star relaxed on the chair that groaned with the added weight on it, patiently waiting for her.

Moon took a breath that cut like glass, exhaling it unevenly.

"I…I am going to inform you the events that would follow and nothing more, it is obvious that I need to make amends with you and the kingdom before we can return to amicable terms again."

She chose her words carefully, being graceful that Star seemed resigned to the fact that her coup had gone through and she didn't make mention of it.

The younger Butterfly growled, holding her tongue from lashing out, but her eyes told a different story, placing a higher strain on Moon who took it unto herself, trying to hold her The Undaunted mask for a while now.

"We spoke with the Governor of the State of California and the Mayor of Echo Creek. They were very amicable in the explanations of what occurred in the last few days of insanity."

"What happened exactly?" Star delicate tone was unnervingly quiet at the question but she didn't want to let her enthusiasm get shown to her.

"Well Star, this world, or shall we say, our world is now bigger than ever, with Mewni at the center of it all. Most of the known dimensions are currently dispersed through these lands and we haven't been in contact with the former dimensions to know which one is and which one is not, it is a calamity that the Pixie Kingdom is unaccounted and we lack for a better term, in the dark about communication for the moment. The Lucitors are currently in the Monster Temple with Eclipsa, as well as the Spider Kingdom, the Pidgeon Kingdom and lastly, the Ponyheads." She made a pause as if struggling with something. "Some of the kingdoms like the Waterfolk, the Piefolk are unaccounted for and clearly they're taking this as hard as we are. But I heard disconcerting news as well."

"What could be worse than putting everyone in a blender?" Star scoffed looking aside, ashamed.

"How shall I put this…there's some unannounced representatives of kingdoms that I have heard of in my time as a ruler very little about but clearly they want an audience to see where they stand with us since now they are part of us. All the territories in our Kingdom is ours…we are stretched too thin at the moment and lack the man power to just attend the issues of every new subject. They clearly are not happy that now their lands are not enclosed in a dimension, like they used to before. I am afraid that as an extra security measure, we must use the man power of our new allies, the United States of America to put a protective blanket to conserve order and avoid a possible civil war from breaking out."

"By the corn." Star massaged her head, unable to deal with the issues that cleaving their worlds together started.

Moon look at her with sympathy as if saying _welcome to my world._

"As an exchange, so far we've written a few treaties as well as opened a trade route and a bail system where we will exchange a part of our treasury to reinforce our now existing territories with their armies and bail out the citizens for all the damages caused in the battle. No Mewman would go hungry under my watch or without housing. You can be sure of that, and by that, I mean all the _citizens_. That is until we can train new troops, re-equip our armies to fill our garrisons once more and start producing more goods and foods to restart our economy, as well as reinforcing the laws of what constitutes a Mewman."

The last part made Star to smile.

"Mr. Bisignano, the governor also will help me to make a list of registry in our kingdom. Everyone will have a registration and we must convey our rights for immigrations towards the other side of our borders as well as to be sure to mandate vaccinations to make sure that we do not get sick, as well as borders of our lands and do a complete reconnaissance to see where our kingdom stands now."

"That's gonna take years!"

"Not according to him." Moon hummed. "With the type of technology, they have available, he said it will take a couple of weeks at most. We must send emissaries and an envoy to every far corner of Mewni and unify it."

"And if they don't want to accept it? What are we going to do about it?" Star question was more measure that she let on, knowing far too well her kingdom's history.

Moon sighed, looking at her lap.

"Then we must gain their alliance by any means necessary and as good rulers, we must resolve their issues. We can start of through treaties, supplies and goods or…"

"War?" Star crossed her arms.

"Only if they're openly hostile Star. You just cannot make everyone happy in this life. But if its war they want, stretched as we are, I am confident that with the United States in our side of the fence, they better treat their ground lightly. Nobody threatens us and lives to tell about it. I won't have it and neither you should."

Star nodded immediately in agreement. Many would have mistake her for a bubbly, naive and easy-going girl once they met her, but she was warrior, through and through. If someone even dared to touch a single hair of their subjects, stupid and ignorant as many were, she would raise hell. She had already killed before and she would do it again. She would make them bleed and dance until they ceased to move.

"Now, I must move to the more traditional sense of our traditions. As you know, you're now a woman of age and as the princess, there are other duties to withhold towards the kingdom that will reflect to the others our solitude towards the wellbeing of everyone and as such…well, there's the manner of marriage."

If Star was paying attention, now she was openly scowling, her fingers digging with enough strength to tear through the leather of her seat, her eyes darkened with murderous intent. Her posture rather than being slouched, became sharp, her two feet planted firmly on the ground with her knees bend and ready to jump at her if she was about to suggest what she was thinking.

"But this is a new kingdom…even if Aunt Etheria and Heartrude have bursting my ear. You can be relieved that I will not _intent_ to sell my daughter like a used piece of furniture just to solidify our kingdom stance with our alliances." She scoffed at the idea, Star's attitude brightening at hearing that. "Did I mentioned that after the dead of my mother, my aunts had the audacity to want to have me betrothed me to a Count?" She growled at the memory. "A pompous fool by the name of Count Mildrew. That man was nothing but a walking sack of rocks with nice hair."

Star couldn't help herself but to laugh, trying to picture it and for a moment she forgot about her mother's crimes.

"He had better wealth to sustain an open conflict with the monster horde that invaded our kingdom but your father guided me through these dark and turbulent times, when everyone to listen to me, he returned me the confidence that I needed to take a decision that would haunt me for years." She shuddered. "Yet I took it, just as I took you father's hand. His family possessed a small wealth, a castle and some villages and farm land, but their loyalty and sense of unity is stronger than steel AND far more valuable than gold. Nothing can break down that family and now Star, it has come time for you to decide where your path shall lead you."

Star sighed, feeling somewhat scared of what she was about to reveal to her.

"I kind of did already…well, we did it together."

"I see." Moon answered with a small smile tugged on her lips. "I always knew it was going to be him. I am glad that he had the courage to ask for your hand"

Star turned to her mother in shock.

The silver haired woman laughed. "Oh Star…I am your mother. You never realized how you looked at him? How you seek his company? He gave you something that I never could…I recognize that I haven't been the best mother to you" She sighed sadly. "But I saw these changes in you…you were not just doing things out of spite, because you had to. You were always smiling, bouncing that boy round up and down, filling your heart with happiness. It took me a while to see it, but I believe you made the right choice."

The younger Butterfly twirled her fingers together. "But…if this going to meddle with the nobles? It isn't…proper. Marco is a knight sure, but he is not a noble. He has no properties to his name and he's not a royal. How do you think they will react?" A moment of insecurity took hold of her, clearly remembering Song Day and the fall out of everything that happened. It took days to put the angry mob in control and the relationship with the kingdom was restrained for many weeks after…just as Star relationship with Marco took a dib towards the worse after she refused to deal with her problems head on, even if those days were over, it had finally dabbled on Star that it was best to deal with a problem immediately rather than wait it out.

Moon scoffed. "Don't speak about like if you care…neither did I. I married your father because I wanted to and that was the end of it. Besides, if Marco is not a noble…then I'll make him one."

The blue eyes of Star shimmered in awe.

"Anyone who opposes such notion is a person with more air than brain in that head of theirs, even nobles must place the decision on high esteem, speaking out of turn can cost them trust, if they keep talking then I will find a way to make them stop. Besides, you and Marco had saved this kingdom more than once from the brink of disaster, going through what two teenagers shouldn't go through. He is very well known in Mewni and he's a reputable knight. Don't try to fool your mother that you weren't looking at him in the training grounds very intently while you were courting the Prince of the Underworld. I have eyes Star."

Star's cheeks exploded with heat in embarrassment, covering her ears as Moon laughed at her expression.

"Moving on…coronation shall be in this week while me and Eclipsa maneuver through this mess and then after the Diaz family are made nobles and all of the benefits worthy of the title, we will announce to the kingdom that my daughter has chosen a suitor before my family has to say a word about it and you and Marco will marry in the spawn of six months as stablished by the royal protocol. This shall give you enough time to plan your union to the world and everything that conveys with that decision, including but limited to, producing heirs towards the new blood line."

The face that Star made is a memory that would stay forever in Moon's memory.

"That…that soon?! We're just 16 years old!" She couldn't help herself but to scream.

"Oh my goodness no…it is far too early for such manners to come to its initiation. But when you become Queen daughter of mine, it will be time for you and Marco to produce the future of Mewni. I will personally see that the Diaz are properly informed…since you came from my loins, I know you two did not even inform his parents about his decision, am I wrong?"

Star didn't move from per position, staring at the distance. Her silence was her answer.

"I thought as well…nevertheless, we shall sit down and speak proper, me and River personally, just one more thing on my plate to deal with." She sighed, balancing her head on her palm.

Star hummed in response, looking once more out of the window.

"How's Eclipsa and her husband taking all of this?"

Moon recoiled as if she had been slapped. With concern, the younger Butterfly knew that it was serious.

"We've reached an understanding. She will remain in my royal council as my most trusted associate and the offer goes to you as well when you take over as the Queen of Mewni. She will oversee your duties personally as well as mine." Her eyes turned down cast. "That is the compromise she established…but that is the limit of her duties. She and I are no longer friends."

"Can't say that I blame her." Star admitted, displaying how restrained their relationship still was.

In response, the Queen sighed not even trying to defend herself, turning to the book of spells.

"There are many mysterious upon this world Star, things that even now without any magic, I dare not to cross." She motioned to the book. "I haven't had the courage to seek the pages of a book that used to be mine, just like any other Queen before me. I want you to have it." Moon looked dejected, being mirrored by her daughter. "I know Glossaryckk is gone, a pain as HE was, he was someone that took his duties very seriously, or appeared to do so to be proud of you, just like I am. Take the book, not as a token of remembrance but because I want you to always think of the choices you made to be where we are right now."

Star was truly touched and she could almost feel the sense of the right path for forgiveness as she smiled at her mother and taking the aforementioned book. It seemed heavier than it used to be, but she didn't comment on it, everything was on the right place, without a spot missing. She almost expected Glossaryckk to come tumbling down and demanding pudding. She sighed sadly missing him, even if he was a pain in the ass and didn't made sense most of the time, he helped her in many ways as well and helped her to find her balance, but now, just like the old pages in this book, was a chapter that had closed entirely for them. It left a vacuum of power that even Star felt that dark times were approaching fast and she feel powerless to stop it.

Sighing, she tapped down the book and brought it to her chest, hugging it, nostalgia flowing through her like a river. Moon didn't comment on it, she felt that this was her private moment and she didn't fell welcomed by her to interrupt it. They stayed in silence for a while as Star bled out her memories out of her system, like a strong man to a competition she stood up with a new rigor in her body, burning with pure determination to do as she must do to protect this new world and Mewni from whoever dared.

With Marco on her right arm and a sword in the other, she would do what was just for everyone, whatever it took.

Moon saw the born of a new person in front of her and she nodded. Her work, treacherous and painful as it was finally complete…and she couldn't be a part of that moment.

The sudden thump of some heavy interrupting their moment of epiphany. The villagers stared terrified at the approaching hulk in the distance, stomping trees like mere leaves in the wind and even the construction workers stared ahead in shock at the red shape of Globgor walking towards the village, unopposed by everything around him. Just as he was close to the gates, he stopped with a crescendo that echoed through the air before slowly shrinking into his smaller size, smiling at the terrified villagers across of him, awkwardly rubbing the head of his head. Even if he was smaller, his hulking figure still stood up to seven feet tall and that was enough to terrify some of them.

Except for one man. "Globgor!" River immediately received him with a handshake, their palms impacting with a meaty thump that echoed as the two fathers met with bright smiles at each other.

"Good to see you my friend." The red stripped monster greeted him, happy to see such a man in these turbulent times. "I never got to thank you for saving my life."

"It is what anyone with a good heart would've done. Are you hungry? My wife and I were about to prepare some stew, c'mon, let's settle down and talk, maybe we some ale from our cellar."

Globgor smiled. "I thank your hospitality Mr. River, I am sure that we can catch on, certainly on most hospitable grounds." He looked uncomfortably at the many angry scowls that were directed in his direction, just as the barbarian did as well, sighing with a sadness that left a profound effect on him. "My reason for my abrupt visit, is her." He pointed a clawed digit at Star who stood there with a brief smile, holding the book of spells at her chest and Moon behind her watching the situation with a touch of affinity towards the monster in the village.

Star politely waved at her mother. "I'll see you soon."

"Safe travels dear. I'll see in the coronation…please for the love of God, do not be late to your own coronation."

She scoffed. "Maybe an elegant delay…"

"Star…"

"Kidding." Her eyes softened. "Take care of yourself ok?"

Moon nodded waving her as she walked down the main dirt road of the village, smiling towards Globgor. Unfortunately, just as she came about the same empty carriage, the very same woman who had accosted her came out, along with six more men holding halberds and a knife.

"What are you doing?! Get away from my daughter now!" Moon had seen the whole thing marching down the hill, with River quickly lifting his fists up to intervene. Globgor decided to stay in the sidelines, looking with nervousness at the assembled party.

Star didn't even move a muscle, she just stood there, glaring down with a hatred that even unsettled assailants stood there with her posture ready to snap at a moment's notice.

"Garriotte! Everyone stop!" River stood closer to help her daughter just as two men took a step threatening him with their polearms, slightly trembling at having to threat the most powerful warrior in their village.

"Don't come any closer!" Threatened one. "Or we'll skitter yer daughter like a pig-goat. She's just a pathetic little girl with no magic and no way to escape what's been a longa time comin' for her!"

"What are you doing this?!" Moon shouted at the top of her lungs. By now, everyone had seen the commotion and were gathering in crowds to watch the whole thing in astonishment just as the hostile villagers had seen the whole thing.

"You know why!" The woman shouted. "We lost everything, they brought monster into our lives and destroyed our world and for what?! For what?! Letting vermin like _them _to walk among us?! To steal our homes that we had for generations! But fuckin' princess goody two shoes had to give the power back to the Queen of Darkness and we'll have to let things stay like that?! Uh?!" She screamed, lifting her fist up in the air. The other villagers didn't respond and they didn't move either, but their silence was enough for Moon who like many had come to their village in frustration, anger and neglect. Moon knew about it but she gladly welcomed everyone who wandered into the village and gave them everything.

With sadness she watched as the rabid dogs that she fed came back to bit her hand.

"This is your fault girlie." The woman hissed.

"That's enough of this!" River threatened stepping up to which the men holding the halberds got closer to Star.

Globgor got angry enough to let out a growl of anger and while they trembled at his monstrous presence, he didn't want them to snap and start attacking, knowing far too well the repercussions and yet she stood ready.

Snorting, Star started laughing at her face as she waved that pathetic knife close to her, laughing harder as she had been told the best joke in the world, almost doubling down if it wasn't for the heavy book she carried shocking everyone into silence.

The enraged woman got close enough for stabbing distance and that's when the princess snarled with enough force to make her stand still in shock.

"Let me tell you something bitch…" She spat aside at the top of her patience, taking a threatening step on her own which quickly swallowed the ego of the woman in front of her, her mouth opening up and down in shock. "I'll let ya take a swing at me and if your first stab doesn't put me down, imma follow up and beat the living shit out of you" Her blue eyes were cold as sapphires, threatening to even made a move. For a moment Moon thought she saw a flash of a red aura from her daughter, blinking in disbelief but as soon as it came it was gone.

The other men looked as unsure as she was, standing there with the whole town watching. Her eyes were two pits of pure hatred, glowing with an unnatural aura of cold death, the more the woman stared at them the further her body felt trembling without control, trembling and almost pissing herself right there. Her gaze kept her rooted to the spot, teeth clacking and trembling under the sheer agony of standing there without stepping forward. Something snapped inside her subconscious, something told her to stomp her guts out…she could do it, she was after all stronger and the weak should tremble at the power. Star's jaw opened, her face twisted in a snarl of a berserker which would be only sated by carnage and River, who was overseeing the spectacle saw through it, his eyes widening at the blood lust that emanated from her.

That voice came again, just like it told her to destroy the sign during the Love Sentence concert, the very same one who told her to spy on Marco's and Jackie's date and the one who feed and convinced her to bring her wrath upon them to even daring to dare to hurt her, giving pain by pain barely able to contain herself not to hurt them further just as when Ruberiot dared to mess with her life. Her fingers sank into the book with a groan from the material as her eyes flashed at the terrified woman, promising pain if she even dared but she did, her sense of fight or flee activating under the spell of self-preservation.

A snarl of pure hatred, confusion and frustration came off the throat of the villager, charging at Star with the knife raised high in the air. Moon screamed and River quickly side stepped the halberd of one, snapping his meaty fist against his crystal jaw and just as Globgor was more than prepared to transform they all heard a deep impact behind them.

Star only sidestepped the clumsy stab, brought her foot up and kicked the woman across the stomach just as she turned around, sitting up and looking in disbelief to the sky. Immediately the fight left her, collapsing on her shaking hands from the sheer agony, not being able to do anything as Star brought the book of spells as hard as she could across her face, sending her tumbling like a bag of potatoes breaking her nose and she laid there, unmoving. The action probably took less than three seconds, the stunned villagers and her parents could do nothing else but to stare as Star laid over the woman, checking the face of her would be attacker and rolling her eyes, walking from her as the Garriotte hurled her stomach contents and broken teeth, trembling without control of her body at the crowd that had gathered to watch the scene.

The princess even ignored the men who were holding the halberds, walking closer to the crowd while still holding the book. Her eyes flashed again as she growled low and guttural in her throat, barely being able to hold herself. In an instant, the men gasped, throwing their polearms in a sign of surrender.

"Please spare us! We're sorry!"

Star passed them on without a single word. They were just simple scum who didn't deserve to waste her breath on. The princess stood in the spotlight, meeting dozens of concerned eyes, some were fidgeting nervously, not being able to control their fear and she felt it again, her actions should dictate their words, they would understand better with implied agony, but no…In a second she crushed that useless voice who did nothing but to riddle her up for attempted murder.

She stood strong and using her most regal voice, she faced everyone without fear.

"Citizens of Mewni! As you know now…you're in a brand-new world! I do not have answers as to how it happened or why, but it has…a new chapter begins. I must inform you all that the Butterfly line has once more returned to the former line. My mother, Queen Moon and King River shall reign over once more with me, Princess Star Butterfly as the heir to the throne."

Silence received her with the citizens becoming even more alarmed.

"This is a new Mewni!" Her voice boomed across the lands, birds flying in all directions. "A new change into our lives. Our past history has nothing but the hand of death holding us back, guiding us to times of petty hatred, xenophobia, it blinds us of what Mewmans truly are and we've been deceived for centuries! It is time to stop this nonsense and accept the changes that has brought our lives into what they are today." She made a pause, her voice echoing in the village, nobody dared to move. "To what end, we as Mewmans can continue to live as we have? Without acknowledging our past crimes, refusing to go forth and unify into what we could be. Well ladies and gentlemen, that time has come to put our differences aside and work towards a new Mewni. We shall help make it so, but we cannot do it without your help. For generations, you have been told that you do not matter, that you are mere peasants with no value…isn't that the truth?!"

"YEAAAAH!"

The voices of the villagers came back as they resonated into their hearts.

"Well I say to that NO SIR! WE MATTER! I might have born in royalty but like you I have suffered, I have bleed and worked hard during my stay on Earth. I lived as you, as a commoner and let me tell you what I've learned, it is the royals and nobles who need to fear you! Who is the one who works the fields?! Who are the ones who protect our territories? Who is the one who holds jobs, meeting every need of this kingdom, helping it grow? It is you!" Many of their eyes widened. "You make this possible, without unity there is no order and without order, it all comes down to nothing which leads not to have a kingdom and there is no Mewni without Mewmans! And they are Mewmans too!" She pointed to Globgor who waved nervously. "They're just like us. They bleed, they have families of their own, mouths to feed. Ignore their fur, extra limbs or sharp teeth, they're Mewmans as well. The time for war is OVER, the division between us IS OVER. They're here and we're here and together we will make this land known towards this new world! It will be a hazardous journey, filled with many dangers and there's so much to be done, so let's get to it! I have bled for this beautiful land, I have killed for it, I, as Princess Star give you my word that as long as I draw breath you shall never be hungry! You shall never be without jobs or a roof above your heads because this is MEWNI and we control our own destiny!"

The crowd exploded in approval, fists pumping up in the air as she looked over them.

"PRINCESS STAR! STAR THE REBEL PRINCESS!"

Their screams resounded to the sky winds. From her position, Moon smiled, nodding in approval.

A voice cackled through the crescendo of voices. Turning around sharply Star scowled at the villager who dared to attack her as she stood shakily, wiping the blood from her nostrils, smiling openly with missing teeth and bloody gums.

"You think you won? You think that everyone would just accept that vermin? Bah!" She spat at her feet, starting to walk through the main road. She didn't stop her and she looked over her until she disappeared from her sight. Her father hugged her from behind, reacting just as fast to slouch in his arms, still shaken about the whole thing.

Globgor was let through the crowd, they gave him space to pass and some villagers had a resemblance of understanding, nodding briefly as he passed.

"That was a fantastic speech." He smiled with sharp teeth. "Even I was touched."

"You were bloody amazing my flower! You charged in like a warrior and demonstrated your courage against impossible odds and you won!"

Star blushed, smiling shyly at her father. She felt eyes on her, turning around just as the villagers did, her mother bowed low to her and in turn, the villagers and even Globgor dropped to their knees in reverence to her. Bewildered the princess looked at the Mewmans, stomping the ground in frustration.

"No, no, please. You don't have to do that."

Yet her screams did not move them from their position. Only when Moon stood up the rest followed through.

Star couldn't help herself but to smile.

Minutes later, she hopped on Globgor's shoulder, watching in awe the beautiful view from his height, swinging slightly left and right with every one of his steps

"You know Star? I never thanked you for knocking some sense into me and saving my life."

She giggled.

"Thanks are not needed…it is what I do. You're a friend."

The monster laughed, bringing his massive fist to her, bumping it with hers as they chuckled together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

What would've taken two hours in carriage, they did it in twenty minutes, Globgor's large steps cutting the distance considerably as Star relaxed on his shoulder, enjoying the gusts of cold wind and the lights that the dusk was bringing up to the sky. Behind her, she could already see the lights of Echo Creek like hundreds of fire-flights lighting up the sky. The sights had been not as enjoyable as she hoped, now that she was back in the eye of the beholder, she was witness of the trail of destruction of the battle that devasted so much of the capital in a single day. The corn fields were laid bare completely blackened with many farms, walls and houses smashed to a pulp. More than once, she had forced her gaze at the people that were still gathering the bodies in carts to be buried.

Sighing, Globgor shared her sentiments.

"What a waste." He laid on simple after minutes of morbid silence to which she could only nod, darkness centering in her heart and refusing to let go. The citizens saw their arrival and they were well received, especially Globgor. They hadn't forgotten how needlessly he was willing to sacrifice his own life for them when they have shown nothing but scorn towards him the moment he was frozen, just like Eclipsa, he had to fight to earn their hard earned trust.

That was the difference of the type of Mewmans who lived in the capital. Even if some of them were lowly peasants, they were treated far highly by the Butterflies and they were loved to be treated as their heroes. Though Star wished that they didn't hate them straight after what was coming soon, they had already gone through so many changes that perhaps this one would break the warnicorn's back.

She was even happier the moment that she stepped into the Monster Temple. With approval she searched the grounds to be almost completely refurbished after the pounding from Mina's Solarian warriors, well enough to be livable without concern, though there were many areas that were still closed down and wrapped with wood beans as the workers did as they could, day and night.

The best sight of the day was as soon as Eclipsa went to receive them with a warm and happy smile hiding a bouncing Meteora, Globgor smiled greeting his wife with a kiss, rubbing his thick palm on her head. Star couldn't help herself but to laugh and hugged the family holding the book at her side, enjoying how little Meteora played with her locks of golden hair, bringing one to her chomps and sucking on it and Eclipsa chuckled, caressing her hair as well with a smile. She felt almost at home.

"Star, it's so good to see you. Is that the book? How odd." She remarked.

"Oh yeah it is strange alright…my mother didn't understand it either." At the mention of her mother, Eclipsa hummed, looking her over.

"I hope everything went well?"

Star parted her gaze, briefly looking at the stripped red furred demon.

"Something like that. We can talk about the current situation tomorrow at breakfast. I hope I can catch up with so many of my friends." She preferred to laid it lightly, looking around, Star noticed a lack of a her sexy of a man with a red hoodie that she would love to kiss right now in her presence. "Uh, where's Marco?"

The former Queen of Darkness giggled. "He said he was going to wait for you in your room but after a while…I heard some baby sounding snores coming from it."

Both women giggled at how adorable that was. Star sighed with happiness at her boyfriend's antics. "That's my Marco." She said dreamily.

Eclipsa and Globgor looked at each other amused at the young couple.

Star was more than ready to remark something sweetly about her boyfriend but something fell off. Her eyes glazed over as she looked down on the floor, memories of that night under the stars came to her. The way his kiss burned through her, caressing her wings and her body with his rough hands that have gone through so much. Something possessive came over her, wanting nothing more than to have him under her body. She felt strange and needing this so badly, her half-lidded eyes blinked unfocused and her body was doing time, lightning shouting down her stomach to her neither regions almost making her to double over, losing touch for reality for a few seconds.

"Uh, if you're so tired shall we go to bed Star? Or do you want some leftovers from the royal chefs?"

Eclipsa's words brought her back to reality as she stood there, panting slightly. Shaking her head, she sighed not knowing what came over her.

"I have some food waiting for me in the room." Was the last thing she said before she started walking away.

Eclipsa turned around finding to find her husband sulking like a child, his nose was wiggling heavily.

"What was that about?"

If only that aggravated him further. "Please, don't ask."

Star walked up the stairs towards the last levels without an issue, even if she was holding such a thick book. She easily found her old room, surprisingly untouched from the attack, opening the door to a crack a tad, her blue eyes stealing a look into her cavernous room, spotting a figure on her bed. Smiling, she opened the room, closing the door behind her as softly as she could, locking the door behind her. She lifted the book of spells to her face and she shrugged, dumping it on the couch. Slowly she walked to her bed, her lips twitching into a smile the moment Marco's form came fully on her view.

He was resting between her pillows without his shoes with his hoody neatly folded at the foot of her bed. It looked funny how he was resting on her bed like a star as if he was about to rush towards her and give her a big hug.

Devilishly, she smiled, biting her lips. She was thinking of more than that tonight…she just hoped that she wouldn't come out as too needy, applying her brakes into that tray of thought. A nagging part of her refused to be stopped, wanting more than to wake him up and make him hers, right now. Star groaned as she paused in mid step, she was far beyond wet, she couldn't avoid the breathy moan that left her throat as the sticky material dive between her lower lips, slamming a hand on her lips fearing that her moans would wake him up but he stayed in the same position.

As nauseating as it sounded, she couldn't help herself but to double over, her hands threatening to slip into her panties and relieve the itch that had awakened, overwhelming every sense. She started panting in heat, her tongue licking her lips, imagining tasting his sun kissed skin. She grunted as she felt her honey slipping down her legs, pressing a palm into the crevice between her legs to avoid her flow of her honey but it made it far too worse, her hands moving up and down into its own accord. She moaned into her own hand, knees buckling hard as electricity ran into her core, aching for Marco.

As she laid distracted, the smell of her musk was captured by the very same boy that she was fantasizing about. His nostrils flared the smell of her sex and her pheromones awoke him from his stupor. Star had been so distracted by the heat on her body that she didn't notice that Marco had sat up and got the surprise of his life at the love of his life going into town just mere meet from him. He didn't know what to say, he said nothing, enthralled about the spectacle. His mind might have shut down, but his body immediately responded with a massive tent in his pants, pressing heavily against his jeans, trying its best to break free from its prison, enough to hurt and made him lose a grunt of pain and pleasure from his throat.

The sound immediately alerted Star who stood paralyzed from fear, her hands sitting still between her crotch, her half-lidded eyes opened staring silently at the boy with dove eyes. Both lovers observed each other not knowing how to react that was until the boy grunted again, cupping at the evident bulge on his pants. Star freaked out, removing her hand from her neither regions and bolting to the door.

"STAR WAIT!"

She paused with her back to him, trembling out of shame of her actions, not knowing what came over her.

"Please…come back." Marco implored. There was something in his voice that she couldn't recognize, a certain want that she was sharing at this very moment. "Please…" The last part was said in a whisper that ended up in a throaty grunt. She couldn't help herself but to look at him, panting slightly, watching her up and down as if he was studying her from head to toe and she felt his lust, his want…it was a feeling that she had wanted to bury as far as she could into the earth the moment her emotions for him manifested. Suddenly she felt terrible, for long had he struggled with these emotions? Feeling rejected and sad for not having the courage to said what he felt into his soul? How torturous must it been for his body to want what he thought he could never possess.

It was an energy that fired up her engine because she felt the same way. Slowly she approached the bed, panting with desire cursing through her.

The moment she parted her hands from her core, Marco could see the outline of a wet spot that had formed into her narwhal dress, outlining the fork between her legs. There was no need to sugar coat their feelings, both of them knew what they wanted, by the way that he was nervously fidgeting and twisting on the bed, hands clenched painfully in the bed sheets, he wanted the very same thing that she wanted. She couldn't avoid to look at his bulge in his pants as his body shook with restrained excitement.

Calmly and with shaky steps, as she could she sat down on the butt of her bed, not staring at him, breathing harshly through her nose, her wings rattling between her hair.

"Star?" He asked again. At her silence, he sighed, falling back on the bed, doing his best to ignore the throbbing in his jeans. "…this isn't the way I wanted to bring that out." He sighed, not being able to avoid her fragrance to permeate his nostrils earning another excited grunt from his throat.

Was she rushing this? Star wondered. It was obvious that she wanted this as much as he could, just as the desires to stay with him forever had excited for a very long time, she was still an hormonal teenager. A more reasonable part of her would wait until they both could sit down and planned this proper but she didn't want that and she felt terrible.

"I am so selfish." She muttered, squeezing her eyes shut to avoid the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She felt the bed move and just like that, Marco had hugged her from behind. She jumped at how his touch burned her but said nothing, lying her head on his chest, hearing the rapid thumping of his heart.

"You're not…I am the selfish one."

"No Marco, that's not trueeghmmm!" She couldn't avoid herself.

His hands caressed her shoulders in a reassuring way and it took every inch of her will not to straddle him right there. They were familiar hands, hands that had held her for years, standing her up, showing how much he cared. How come he didn't break down after the Blood Moon ball? She couldn't avoid but to remember his hurt expression, barely even to accept the invitation to hang out after that fiasco. And now look at them, both were throbbing with need, beyond their desires to copulate…but the setting was completely wrong.

It felt inadequate…incomplete to a point.

She had dreamed of this moment her whole life, even before he came into her life. She often would wonder if the perfect setting would be after a fantastic date just as their very first one days ago, under the moon light and the sky of a new world. She couldn't help but let her memories run amok once more.

Star remembered that terrible day in the carriage, leaving in a hurry after a rushed and broken confession and her possessions surrounding her, crying and holding his hoody across her chest. Her heart had cracked into a million pieces, falling down the abysm where she could never come back from and who appeared suddenly? Marco, dropping back into her life just like that.

What a twist of irony.

Another pang of pleasure stabbed into her core as his eyes made her feel things that she could never imagine feeling at a mere caress of her shoulders. The droplet became into a puddle, the puddle into a stream, then into a river and then an ocean of lust, her legs trembling and rubbing against each other.

Would she able to soil their relationship before it could even flourish? But something told her that it has always happened. Both of them had prioritized their lives towards one and another without any hesitation, sacrificing so much to be around each other, they would be already on this level years ago if they hadn't been so dense with each other. Marco went as far as to leave everyone he had ever known, knowing far too well what he was risking just to be with her. Both had been willing to die in each other arms and just like that, the ocean became an unstoppable maelstrom of desire that could not be stopped.

She turned her head so fast that it made the boy to recoil, staring at those cerulean blue eyes that had driven him mad since the very first day. Both of them didn't knew who made the first move, their thoughts came into a mumbled and sudden halt, their lips burning with the passion of a thousand suns. He took her into his strong hands with the firm intentions of lying atop of her but she didn't let him, instead knocking them aside with a playful slap, straddling his waist instead just like yesterday. The teens panted at the compromising position, her chest was heaving up and down.

Enticed by her curves, his hands crawled on her hips, looking at those pools of blue laded with desire for him. His fingers caressed her stomach, teasing her, exploring her just as her hips started to move on their own, slowly but sensually racking their cores together earning a shared grunt.

Blue met brown, a storm of emotions breeding inside of them. The room felt too hot and she couldn't find the contact to be enough with their clothes. Slowly, her hands pressed against his firm abdomen, feeling him up drove her to slip her hands into his shirt, her fingertips exploring his hot skin enough to make the boy beneath her to let out a breathy grunt of desire, looking at her like the last living person on Earth.

Biting her lips, her fingers went up his chest, feeling it, driving feeling of heat into her core with her hips bouncing slightly faster, their eyes scrunching together from the unknown feelings that were taking off. Slowly, her hands came down, leaving a pleasured pressure as her fingers started to trek down, teasing his abs before hooking on his shirt, pulling it upwards. The teenager lifted his arms up, shuddering at the mix of hot and cold air that hit his naked torso.

Star couldn't help herself but to rub her face on his defined abdomen, enjoying how he jumped at her touch, it made her mad to feel his body that had become firm and defined through his training. A sudden action to thought to taste his skin, passing from thought to action in a second, her hot tongue lapping his abs all the way to his chest, her hands exploring and manhandling him to her heart contents.

The knight hissed, opening his mouth and moaning.

"Star…"

She loved how he said her name…he was wanting, hungry for her and it drove her wild, kissing his skin with more fervor, tasting his musk in her tongue, not able to hold herself but to take a deep whiff of his manly aroma mixed with the trail of wet saliva she had left behind. She slouched lower to have more access to his body and that's when she felt it.

It was even harder and it throbbed on her butt. Feeling devilish, she smirked at the face he made.

"Boop." She brought her butt and trapped his erection under her, wiggling her hips left and right. It was a double edge sword; she was getting too drunk in his smell and the feel of his firm body beneath her trembling in the lust erected in the valley of her neither regions. His hands have gotten grabby, caressing her hips sensually, guiding her into a frenzy of desire on top of him. The room was spinning and suddenly their touch through clothing was just not enough. Her hands fought to find the sipper between the mop of her hair and just like in their date, his fingers caressed from her lower back into the curve of her back, feeling for her zipper.

The lust left his eyes, staring at her with a passion, for a need for her far too powerful to ignore.

"Is this what you want Star?"

What kind of a stupid question was that? She thought like if he was an idiot but then it hit her like a freight train. Her Marco, her lifeline was asking her as if his life depended on it, he would never hurt her and it meant the world to him that she told him her feelings. As bold as he had gotten, Marco had lead a life where his control of most of the situations were out of his control, to hurt the only person that have brought this much happiness to him would shatter him into a million of pieces…like two fools in love, they've stumbled in the dark for each other for so long that when they really found each other, neither of them would be wiling to give one or another, no matter what came their way.

Slowly, one of her hands intertwined with his free hand, putting it across her cheek. The boy marveled at her beauty of the angel on his lap, tracing her heartless cheek, his thumb caressed the edge of her lips which came down to kiss him with a huff from her nostrils, joining her forehead with hers.

"I am yours Marco I don't care what anyone says…we belong to each other…I love you my papi."

The boy's eyes widened at the last word, liking how it sounded out of her petite mouth.

"I don't know where you learned that word but I like it mi Estrella. I just don't want to hurt you."

"And you never will…I trust you my sweet prince"

Slowly his hand restarted, pulling down her zipper, freeing her wings but unlike that night under the stars, her arms wiggled the blouse free, revealing a thin purple spaghetti top with a spider embroidered into the fabric. Her chest heaved up and down in excitement, liking how much he was giving attention to her. Star disengaged her body from his, dropping to his side, slowly wiggling the rest of her dress off her body, throwing it across the room, kicking her purple boots down the foot of the bed as Marco laid there observing her in awe.

"Why…why you always gape at me like that?" She couldn't help herself to ask in embarrassment even if she had been ridden his hard on seconds ago.

"I can't help myself…you're so beautiful Star." In all fours, the boy crawled to her as her heart felt as if it was going to jump off her chest. He straddled her firmly, taking her by the hips and kissed her, furiously their tongues met, ravishing each other mouths as the heat mounted between them. Just like that day, his hand wondered to her chest, this time cupping her breasts through the thin material. She threw her head low and moaned, revealing her creamy neck. He left her lips, kissing his way from her cheeks towards it, latching unto her and suckling and racking his teeth towards a part where he knew would be always covered by her v-line, always playing it safe. The sound of her being suckled on was enough to let her honey to flow heavily enough for his body to felt it, groaning at what the smell of her lust did to him.

Slowly, his gaze locked with the clear stain on the stripped leggings, quickly expanding in the fork of her legs. Star felt sheepish but slowly her hands parted from her special place, begging to be touched. The boy buried his face unto her chest, suckling at the hard pebble of her nipples pressed against the thin material, her arms encircling him to bring him closer moaning without control. Hissing at how fleeing the feeling was, she lost her inhibition, pulling the thin material off her chest, revealing her chest to him, heaving up and down in excitement.

The boy took distance to stare at her beautiful body in awe, loving how her breasts moved up and down as she breathed down heavily.

"…are you just going to stare?" She pressed on as challenge and in clear embarrassment…she knew of her capabilities and she had been told about her beauty…but she hoped that her body was enough for him. She wasn't as well-endowed as other women at her age. If it was enough for not, Marco didn't say anything, his hands cupping her b cups into his palms, feeling for her hot flesh beneath his palms. Star sighed, biting her lips as her lover explored her body, a thumb bumped across her left nipple and it was enough to look aside, panting with need for his touch. The boy repeated his action with its twin, rolling her nipples like a controller joystick, her body moving like he wanted. She became a riddled mess of excitement, moaning unashamedly, without caring who might hear her.

The feeling only increased as she felt the hot touch of his tongue on her right breast, suckling the nipple into his mouth, probing it and tasting her skin with a fervor that drove her mad, her wings flickering like crazy. Marco released her right nipple with a pop moving his lips towards her stomach, kissing his way down her body and then up again, lapping at her skin, leaving a trail that immediately cooled down with the air. She shuddered at the bittersweet feeling of cold and hot which restarted the moment he kissed his way down, past her belly button until his face was mere inches from the fragrance that came between her legs. Star was panting like crazy, staring at him as his gaze explored the spreading stain just as she spread her legs to him in clear invitation of what she wanted and all the confirmation he needed.

Slowly, his fingers hugged the back of her inner thighs, caressing her with a fervor that sent her into a frenzy, Marco loving how she trembled under his touch, how she danced for him. He felt her body trembling and getting hotter in the dance where only him and Star existed. His right hand crawled from her right thigh towards the stain, curving two of his fingers and hugging her pussy covered lips, without a hurry, enjoying as his fingers got coated through the thin material. Star snarled, her teeth were clenched, eyes glowing with desire as he made her feel things that shouldn't be possible in the mortal world by a mere touch…and she couldn't wait until they got to the main course.

The boy…no…the man brought his slit covered fingers, sniffing them and panting at the flash of lightning that went through his erection, extending his tongue he cleaned his fingers as Star watched, shuddering in excitement.

A hunger had awakened into him, wanting nothing more than the taste in her lips. Just as he was about to go down on her, she stopped him with a sock covered foot across his chest.

"Lose the pants." She ordered him. "Let me see you my sweet prince." She said for added effect. Smiling, he unbuttoned them and slowly dropped down his legs, kicking them off to the side. He stood there as just as he had done it to her, she drank the sight of his developing body and a massive tent in his gray boxers. Her hand came up, motioned at him with his finger, biting her lips, staring at him with desire.

Marco crawled his way to her once more, grabbing her legs, his hands caressing her ankles before grabbing her socks and peeling them off from her feet, his palms cupping the curve of her legs up towards the seam of her leggings, hooking his fingers into the material, already feeling the heat from her body. He locked his eyes with her as he started pulling down, revealing her creamy legs to him until she was sitting there in her lacy pink panties. Marco took her legs, leaving streaks of lava wherever he touched her with the princess panting and aching for his touch the more he explored her body, trailing kisses up her legs, mounting them on his hardened shoulders. His head dipped between her legs, breathing softly on her panties. Her skin started trembling, unable to deal with he was doing to her. Slowly her legs wrapped around his back, bringing him even closer to her covered flowers. He inhaled her like the start of a good meal, licking his lips just as her fingers parted the drenched material aside.

He stared at it in awe.

Her puffy red lips were slick with her juices, flowing down her thighs in clear excitement. With no hesitation, he parted her lips, gazing with wonder at the pink and creamy flesh that gapped and closed, wanting nothing more than to be pleasured. Slowly his fingers dipped down into her waiting opening, rubbing the tip of his fingers and teasing it, Star unable to do anything else but to tremble under his touch, feeling her legs dipping him down and closer until his lips were two inches from him. Her smell drove him made but he didn't rush it, applying the brakes even if his body was already aching to slip back into his most primal needs.

Lovingly, he stared at her wet labia, kissing her thighs and suckling them as his fingers explored her velvet like flesh, his fingers slipping up and down on her canal until he could hear the sweet music between her legs and her moans escalating with every touch of his lips and his fingers. Her legs suddenly clamped down on his with enough strength to propel him slightly forward and he couldn't help himself this time but to lap from the bottom of her opening to the top.

"Uuuuuugh!" Star moaned in ecstasy at the feeling of her insides being licked up and down, slamming her head on the bed.

Marco lapped her juices, groaning at her sweet taste. It was like nothing he have ever tasted and his dick felt swollen enough to start become painful yet he concentrated in her needs, suckling her sweet nectar like fine dining, his tongue flickering on her outer lips, dipping down and slipping his tongue into her tight canal, with the tip of it flickering in her wet insides.

Electricity jumped into her nerves and she knew what was coming as her body couldn't handle the pressure that was threatened to burst through her system and just like that, he stopped with a pained grunt of pure agony. She looked down and saw him cupping his manhood. She chuckled through the haze of their passion. As always, he put the needs of others before his and on their first time, it wasn't going to be exception but she was not going to have it, not ever.

They were a team and both shared everything. In a second, she untangled her legs from his. Her juices were all over his lips but she didn't care, straddling him and kissing him hungrily, tasting herself in his tongue, ravishing his mouth and leaving no doubt left in his body that she wanted this as much as he did. Her fingers caressed his firm chest, leaving a trail of fire down his body, firmly grasping at his bulge.

He jumped in excitement, closing his eyes at her touch. She couldn't help herself but to giggle at how cute that reaction had been. She already had him groaning the moment her hand explored his bulge, caressing it up and down. His precum was already staining the side of his underwear. She concentrated on that spot, grabbing and fiddling with it until he was no more than a jittery body, jumping and grunting at her stomach.

Lust caked her inhibitions completely, unable to take back what she was about to do. In a second as she continued to caress his package, her other hand pulled his underwear in one go. His dick jumped from its cottony prison, bouncing up and proud with a meaty slap against her waiting palm, squeezing his flesh.

"Staa…aaa….argh!" He played with her breasts as she started to pump him, loving the feeling of his flesh. It was like grabbing a steel rod in her hands, a sensual, musky smelling steel rod that pulsed with pleasure for her. His precum stained her fingers as she explored his pulsing flesh, staring at it with a mixture of interest and lust. Just as he did, she whiffed the liquid coating her fingers and she felt light headed, dizzy even. Her half-lidded eyes stared at him as she brought her fingers to her lips and probed his man juice, all the while not even daring to blink, drinking in his expression as much as she was drinking his essence. It tasted and felt like sex, experimentally, she peeled his head inducing her concentration to give him the very same treatment he had just done to her.

She opened her mouth with her tongue licking the air.

"S…Star, you don't have to do that for me."

She paused and without warning his head disappeared between her supple lips.

The boy's mouth opened in a silent O, throwing his head back and grunted jittering at the feeling of her hot tongue lapping at his member, engorging on him and taking as much as she could inside of her mouth, puffing her cheeks as she took him, moaning and pinching her breasts. Like Star, Marco was in the brink of collapse, his body trembling without his control, feeling as his nerves caught on fire but he held on for dear life feeling as she tried to milk him dry.

She released his glistening member with a wet pop, giving his head a peck that made him jump.

"I think…that we're hungry for something else Marco…"

The boy paused as Star sat down once more against the stained sheets and opening her legs wide to him. He didn't hesitate for a second, this was it…the moment of truth.

Slowly, he kissed her, not caring if they both could taste each other in their tongues, his fingers tracing the contour of her curves, getting comfortable by the feeling of her body. She jumped the moment they had unconsciously gotten too close together, the head of prick already caressing her lower lips. They both paused, staring at each other with their passions coming out in waves. Slowly, Star guided him to her slick entrance that was already begging to be filled. The boy tilted his hips forward making second contact and they couldn't help but to shudder at the odd sensations that went through them. Her eyes were closed but she could feel his eyes on her, begging her to take them off this road before they could travel the entire trek, but she didn't say anything but to tilted her hips upwards in a silent signal.

Marco sighed sinking his enlarged head into her, grunting at how tight and good it felt.

The Princess groaned at the foreign sensation of something trying to invade her private space and she welcomed it, wrapping her legs around his back and pushing him further groaning and hissing as she felt the last walls in her castle holding on in a last defense. She didn't even give him time to ask if she was alright when she forcefully yanked his body as physically closer as he could be, his prick finally piercing the barrier of her innocence and into the treasure that she held.

It hurt, badly, but she had dealt with pain before and didn't let him go, crossing her legs even further, forcing him to go in the only direction she wanted him to go, forward

The teens groaned at the intense sensations of finally being one with each other, pausing and gazing at each other eyes. There was no hesitation from them as they locked lips, grunting with desire as his rock-hard rod pierced her walls fully and went inside. Star howled in a mix of pain and pleasure with the boy immediately lowering his face to suck on her bouncing breasts, giving his partner all the pleasure, he could to lessen the pain. For all her toughness, she was still a woman and a jewel that had to be cherished and loved. She wasn't a fragile porcelain doll, but an ass kicking warrior princess but even so, his love couldn't bare to see her in pain, even at times like this. Nodding at him, Star held for dear life as his hips started to piston forward, driving his prick into her dipped in a mix of their fluids and blood, quickly turning into a pink puddle that stained the sheets as Star laid there, taking his love, her hands holding into his back, racking her nails on his skin with ragged breathing.

Marco said nothing concentrating in the love of his life, slipping his dick all the way inside and holding it there before he started moving side to side into her tight canal. The pressure was quickly taking its toll, sweat rolling in waves as he restarted his hips, tilting his body to thrust from another angle bringing the teens to a crescendo of breathy moans.

"M-Marco!" She grunted his name, his loving hands caressing her body up and down as he made sweet love to her, nothing mattered but the feeling of their lover dancing to a song as old as time, the heat getting intense by the passing second. That's when she felt it…something, something was coming in and fast. She felt as her nerves were on fire! Engulfing her body in hot magma, intensifying as the boy increased his tempo, driving his prick faster and faster into her, feeling his own body in the same path of passion and pleasure. Neither had time to breath, nothing was more important than the feeling of closeness they felt. While it might be their tongues furiously lapping each other or the hot sensation of their bodies impacting against each other, they felt that the dance was at an end, both picking up their speed, slamming their lips across each other with Marco's prick rattling her velvet walls that tightened him in a vice grip.

Small black spots came over Marco's eyes as he groaned out her name and exploded inside of her. Star felt her insides being pumped by this hot liquid that seared her insides, licking at the empty air with her mouth agape as her body took it all in, her nerves finally bursting with the fire consuming her, tightening her walls as she came, squeezing him off seven shots of the scalding liquid. They shuddered as they collapsed in each other's arms, soaked in their sweat and other bodily fluids. Marco groaned as he slowly deflated inside of her, shriveling out of her gaping opening with a mix of their cum trailing down her legs.

Star suddenly started laughing, cradling his cheeks between her hands, shuddering at the pang of pleasure as his member finally slid off her.

"My wild man…"

The haze of his high came down as he laid there with a realization.

"Star…I came inside of you."

Her smile didn't falter, tracing her thumbs on his cheek to calm him before he could freak out. "Relax papi, it's Qork 20th, we're safe." She sighed as his strong arms held her across his chest, loving the way his heart thumped across her ears. The teens laid there basking in their love without a care in the world, loving the heat that settled within them. Star suddenly caressed his face, staring deeply into his eyes, she sealed the deal with a passionate kiss that threatened to restart the oven downstairs but she stopped before it could happen, pecking his cheek with a sigh.

Slowly, she laid out against his chest, concentrating into his heart. It was one that had beat for her and would welcome her whenever she was had being close or far away, it had bled for her. Her eyes started to get heavy, her energy finally sapped until she shut down. Marco laid there with a smile on his lips, burning with love and feelings that he thought couldn't be possible. It is a feeling that did not leave him until his own eyes started to close, with the heat of her body and the sweet smells of his Star being the last feeling he could before he also fell down into slumber.

If they would've paid attention to each other, they would've noticed their cheek marks glowing and the book of spells lying down open before its pages flickered to a close with a snap.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review and PM me with any questions.

D4rK


	7. Black and Red

**A/N: **Hello again. Sorry about the short delay, still sorting through the ideas of the new universe. To put some things into perspective, the Cleave as it happens just joined all the dimensions that were on their own in their own plane of existence. Dimensional travel is not just traveling by itself, dimensions exist outside of Mewni which are not accessible by traveling by land/air, they exist in their own place in an space-time outside of the galaxy/universe. It was thanks to Skywynne Butterfly which mapped dozens, if not thousands of dimensions outside of the universe where she resided perhaps with a time loop spell; however for our sanity sake, only the ones in the show and a few other territories will join the current universe where the cleave happened, which will be called Mearth.

The location of the Underworld is just below Mewni and I must mention that Tom possessed powers to do an underground entrance tunnel to his home, but he never used that ability in Season 4 where the portals were deactivated. The lands like for example the Woolett territory is also part of the lands of Mewni. Given the fact that that many lands and kingdoms are not part of the Kingdom territories, it will cause a big backlash which I will acknowledge and act upon the next chapter.

I wish that things were less of a mess as with the Season 4 ending, but this is my interpretation. It would suck if just many familiar dimensions or characters wouldn't be able to appear anymore because they're stuck in their own universe with no ways to get to Mearth. That's enough yapping from me, enjoy.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 7.**

Black and Red.

To rebuild, you have to knock some walls, but this was far beyond a wall. Janna had easily strolled past the lack of security from Echo Creek towards Mewni, hitching a ride behind a truck with construction equipment towards the Mewni side. She has always been a sticker for stranger things, because it laid things bare that people were not ready to define. It acted as a mirror in which there was no other thing but the reflection and there's where she would find herself, holding the mirror. Besides…some things were just too cool to pass up. But this…this? Now was this a pickle?

It was like if Dorothy had combined Oz with Kansas just so she could be live in both worlds. Yet the thought remained, were her friends in any way responsible for such ramification? She liked to think that the thought seemed magical and romantic in a way out of a fantasy movie but nobody could call Janna Ordonia but a realist in her years alive. You just didn't indulge into centuries of the darkest years of humanity without turning into a misanthropic person with years of hatred and dislike for the fellow man like she possessed, maybe that's why she was so interested in necromancy as she was. At least the dead wouldn't judge you when you were gone.

Maybe that's why her world was shattered the moment Quirky exploded in front of her face with nothing remaining but his dirty and ragged headband which was now was in her back pocket as a reminder that the very first time she had wanted to help her fellow Man or mewman or whatever only to just remain hidden and watch a person dying in front of her which she identified after briefing talking to him, if she had a reptile face and four eyes. For two straight days after the cleave of the world, she had sat huddled around her folk, trying to deal with it all and she had apologized with them for not being a better daughter but the only thing that happened was them hugging. Janna knew exactly who she was and she wouldn't hide herself not even to keep appearances but that battle started after Star's mother betrayed them all put things into perspective. Life was far too short to hide beneath a mask of strangeness to have fun at the expense of others because deep inside, she couldn't bare the thought of anyone not accepting her as a person. Perhaps that's why she had clicked so well with Jackie, she might think she was strange but she accepted her fully as person…messing with Marco though.

It seemed not too long when she was pocketing his things and breaking into his house at night. He was a different case, a reminder of how easy things could wrong where you least expect it. In reality, she had felt a deal of pity ever since he knew him. Marco used to be such a lonely kid back in the day, he was often picked upon and lacked confidence to even do as much as to ask the lunch lady for a fork. He always seemed so scared of his own shadow. He was literally the very definition of weakness and the world ate the weak. At first, she only picked on him because he was such an easy target but his anger…it became an addiction to see how angry he would get over her bullying him. It was nothing physical between them but more of an abuse of the very things that defined him to see how far she could take it, because really? It was hilarious to just watch him scream and freak out with her pity returning at full vengeance and in turn, she got angry for even caring for someone as pathetic at him and slowly his anger became something else, like a fraction of hope that even as him could grow a pair and fight back against a world that wanted to eat him alive. She told herself that she only did it to tough him up because she couldn't dare anymore to look at his pathetic display.

But then, something shifted…it all began when he started training in martial arts. The boy started to change in ways beyond her thoughts. Sure, it was still funny as hell to mess up with him, even flirt with him when Jackie was around knowing how much he used to like the skater girl, because honestly? Who wouldn't pass that opportunity? She did heard about that time where he bloodied the nose of Moobs Squitson for trying to steal the sandwich off one of the many exchange students from the Diaz family, from her own plate no less; after that beat down in the cafeteria that dude did a complete 180 and nobody ever messed with Marco again even if he was still kind of a showoff and the safe kid of the classroom.

Then Star arrived and oh boy…it got away from there. Sometimes she would look back through the ever changing years and now she knew that when she stopped her heartbeat for a minute she was now staring at a different person, a person that was willing to go through hell and back for without a single blink or doubts and now, he seemed to outgrow her in every regard and in turn, she felt intimidated and jealous of the Princess.

She was proud of him and needed to thank the Princess the moment she saw her again, regardless of her feelings for her, she considers her a true friend. To think that he had started as a pathetic sore sight to somebody out of a fucking comic book hero and she was proud to call him her a friend.

Unknowingly to the 18-wheeler driver, she hopped out the moment she was close to the edge of town and she cringed. Bodies were still being buried and the destruction was in full display. She had seen many town-folk staring at the destroyed hulk of buildings that used to be their homes and salvaging whatever they could. Most people were making lines speaking with people at a table a distance away from the Monster Temple which seemed to be in better state than the attack they barely survived by the Solarian warriors. Security in the temple was stronger than the last thing she was there with the Royal Guard protecting the grounds rather than the regular army but sneaking past them was a breeze. The girl easily climbed up through a hole that nobody had bothered to patch up in the Eastern wall, now facing the knights from behind, she-thief eyed quickly something that caught her fancy.

Said knight blinked as he felt a weight being released from his hip. He patted for his sack of valuables but found nothing, looking behind him and to the side astonished. His partner lifted an eyebrow through the armored holes in his helmet, confusedly staring at him.

"OI WHERE'S MY COIN POUCH?!"

Laughing to herself, Janna got bold, entering through the main entrance that was currently open. The early morning dusk painted the stone floors in an eerie light, she hugged the wall listening to footsteps. She heard someone approaching behind her, quickly she ducked in an intricate wall decoration housing a pedestal with fresh cut flowers, hiding behind it, her brown eyes peeking through them. She hissed to herself at the figure of Moon dressed in fancy royal clothes but no crown walking with two servants holding a tray each. Her hair was down and pressed into a single braid that hugged her left shoulder. She ducked as they passed through and she couldn't help but to throw her the dirty eye, taking a breather to calm her emotions.

Rogues were silent and moved with the wind, not against it.

It didn't take long to find Star's room. The writings and drawings had disappeared but the door design was completely from the castle, something that Star would always do in everything to preserve her individuality, no matter what it was. To her shock, the bottom part of the door was broken, pieces of gnarled wood laid on the carpeted floors, as if something had chewed their way in there, too small to sneak through. Blinking in disbelief, with some concern she tried to open the door only to find it locked. Smirking to herself it didn't take to deduce that her arm wouldn't probably reach the safety from behind so instead she pulled her beanie where a wrapped leather kit laid attached to the fabric by Velcro. Pulling her tools and checking the hallways for any intruders it took her seconds to unlock it like a seasoned pro. The door cringed open and she took a peek into the room, crouching low to the ground. The sofa was in the way of fully looking at the bed for anyone present so she decided to wing it.

With the stealth of a cat, the American-Filipino sneaked inside, closing the door with an almost silent click, her eyes drawing around the cavernous room and finally, she was at her objective. Curiously she observed the bed through cover and couldn't get a proper view, frowning, she tip-toed to the right, pursing her lips at the view of the couch…wasn't that that weird mumbo jumbo magic spell book? A light snore interrupted her focus in it immediately her eyes shot the bed and she had to do a double take.

There were clothes stammered all over the bed. Sure, with Star it was completely normal, she was quite messy but when she instead found Marco's hoodie, his jeans and shoes mixed with hers, she couldn't dare but to follow the trail of streamed clothing and for a second time in her life her breath was stolen from her lungs in a silent gasp of surprise, her eyes lifting up comically. There laid the form of Marco halfway uncovered with a naked Star propped against his defined chest, her long golden locks covered the rest of her form just as Marco's arm was tugged around her. It took a while to snap her eyes from the very defined form of Marco and the funny things it did to her brain but the image of someone like Star wrapped intimately with Marco immediately put things in perspective.

Slowly, her expression shifted to amusement, shaking her head.

"Oh Marco…you tiger. Finally got her in the sack. You got some moves, son" She muttered to herself. She wasn't surprised in the slightest. The tension was so thick between them through the years that it was like placing a bet against herself, her estimations had proved wrong even to someone as observant as she was at the very beginning. She commended Star for hiding her feelings for so long for him, up until the crazy night of Star's confession right until she left, she would've never suspected her of having the hots for him and didn't believe her in a second that the thing with Tom was real. Star was a tricky person to figure it out, she could seem friendly and ready to lend a hand but she was even more secretive than Fort Knox, hiding her feelings and thoughts like a practiced illusionist and then snapping like a banshee the moment someone threatened her or those that she cared about, with deadly consequences from what Marco told her.

Janna couldn't resist it longer and walked slowly to the foot of the bed, trying not to step in anything that looked smeared with dried uncomfortable fluids, pulling her phone she smirked and snagged a picture without the flash. Looking one more to the pairing, she watched the display of her phone and stared at the picture she had taken it. Score! Only then she noticed that there was something odd about it, there were two bright sources of light between them, as if there were the rays of a flashlight pointing at her…or…something else. Suddenly every hair in her body stood up, she felt observed and studied, like a prey being stalked. It was an unnerving feeling but something that was primal in the human psyche. Her instincts were telling her to run as far as she could, but like always her curiosity overwhelmed every instinctive thought and just like that she cringed at the dark shape that was observing her between the couple. It looked like a black wolf; its teeth were in full display, long as knives.

Two cold and unnaturally glowing blue eyes stared directly at hers.

Something probed her mind, tasting her intentions and her fear only intensified, slowly backing down and fearing for her life. The wolf walked closer to the bed, crouching low on the bed ready to pounce, she didn't think twice of it, looking at her only means of escape as the wolf turned to the door, tilting its big head to intently look at her.

There was a sharp intelligence and understanding in them as if it understood her full intent, with that realization, the thought of the creature being intelligent enough to understand terrified her enough to take a step back, never daring to look at the savage beast that was ready to destroy her. Unfortunately, she didn't saw one of Marco's sneakers and she fell. The wolf was on her in a second as she crawled her face into her hands and was ready to screech as loud as she could but the pain never came. Curiously she peeked through her flexed fingers only to cringe as the wolf was mere inches from her, smelling her intently. Its nostrils flared and with a paw that seemed too heavy for its size, it pinned her trembling leg to the floor, observing her with those terrifying blue eyes.

She was too paralyzed to do anything but to stare back, ready to scream but instead, the wolf snorted, looking briefly at the sleeping couple in the bed, immediately getting off her and sauntering to the bed.

To Janna's ever-lasting horror, the large wolf pup jumped between the couple, earning a groan from them. It kept jumping up and down, using its large paws to paddle Marco's and Star faces to an awakened state, groaning in discomfort at the animal, burying its face on Star's side and licking her up with a small whimper.

Immediately the princess groaned in discomfort, trying to put a barrier with her hand between her face and the stinky breath of the animal, staring at it in confusion to her equally groaning boyfriend.

"Eowyn?" The groggy voice of Star said staring at the warg in a mix of alertness and annoyance lacing her voice. Slowly the warg used its large head to probe her face and with a strength that surprised the princess, it turned her head towards the figure that sat on the floor.

With some embarrassment, Janna waved but Star didn't wave back, instead she elbowed Marco.

"Ugh, not you too Star." He complained.

Ignoring him, Star took him by the face and made him look at the floor as he blinked in surprise, alertness flowing into him in a second just as the warg stared at everyone, confusion consuming her mind.

"Good…morning?" Janna offered.

Immediately Marco was the first to groan, grabbing his pillow and screaming into it. Star from her part was feeling something different at the intrusion of her privacy and Marco's. A sea of red immediately tinted her vision as anger consumed her yet she held on, unable to unleash her storm just yet. She frowned, grabbing whatever decent part remained of the comforter and covered them including the warg who whined in surprise as Star's eyes scrunched in an anger that had never been directed at the silent rogue.

"Janna…what are you doing here?" Her words were carefully chosen but nevertheless, it scared Janna in the spot, just as the animal had done, her eyes chained her to the floor, unable to move but to stare at those two cold orbs of anger directing at her. She looked dangerous, ready to pounce after her regardless of her state of nakedness. She knew that her answer would dictate the next course of action from a playful reunion to Janna putting her neck in the executioner's hands as Star studied her intently.

The rogue almost choked on her own tongue as Star smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. It was like if staring at her was a completely different person as she tilted her head it immediately putting pressure on her to answer immediately. Like a cornered animal she looked over her shoulder to the only means of escape, looking back at Star who had a small smile tugged in her lips, the very same leering tiny smile that Star had used when she killed Toffee.

Marco observed the motion completely disturbed, now feeling the room dipping into dangerous waters.

"Star?" He questioned her lifting an inquisitive eyebrow, the only answer he received in return was a brief caress from her fingers to let him know that she was listening but she dared not to look away from Janna who was now shivering. Janna's constant violation of his privacy seemed inconsequential now, he wondered now if he would go as far to come into her defense.

Steeling her resolve, the rogue cleared her throat. "I was just visiting…I didn't mean to walk into this."

The Princess hummed, studying her. Her blue eyes lost their deadly intent, finally the intent to kill disappeared just as she sighed and propelled back to her pillow just as Janna let out a breath that she had been holding, trembling in confusion.

"Get out my room and next time…knock. This will be your first and final warning." Star warning didn't remain unobeyed. Janna nodded her head and was just about to exit the room when two figures entered the room.

Marco's gasp immediately brought Star's out of her lethargy just as the pup peeked its head over the comforter and growled.

"Good morning daughter of mine."

Standing in the doorway was no other than King River and Queen Moon, observing the couple together in bed.

If the Princess could convey blood lust, the one emanating from King River could rival a black hole as his gaze centered in Marco's with murderous intentions.

Moon for her part stayed rooted to the spot, slowly closing the door behind her without changing expressions.

The Princess eyes bulged into a comically manner, unable to know how to react.

"I see." Was the last thing Moon said, putting a hand over River's shoulder to avoid the mad dash against the boy in the bed that was certainly coming. Tilting her head, she ignored the shocked expression in her daughter's face, walking closer and observing the teens in question, finally sighing at them. "Oh darling…why couldn't you wait longer for this?" Her tone was laced with disappointment and resignation. "It was too much to ask to be patient?"

Star scoffed. "It went on for far too long." She muttered crossing her arms without an ounce of regret.

"Did you even use protection Star? When I told you about siring the heirs I didn't mean immediately." For a moment, Moon thought she couldn't be this careless.

Stabbing a look of anger at her mother she peeled her teeth at her.

"I wasn't _raised_ ignorant. It is a safe day." Star hissed through clenched teeth.

Moon shuddered at her hint, knowing it was perfectly justified, after all, she didn't really raised her for most of her life but left the servants and warriors to do it for her…a mistake, a mistake that she couldn't fix but to rectify, even if it took what remained of her life. For a few seconds nobody could react as mother and daughter fought, will to will, anger to anger.

The Queen knew the boy too well to think ill of him, she knew of his capabilities and found him fulfilling her opinion, he would've never planned for something like this knowing that he was too responsible and tact to act harshly, so the fault fell in her daughter who was rash and unpredictable. Yet their passion couldn't be stopped, satiated by anything but to consume the time they had missed. It was understanding that such young love elated under her nose and she didn't retract her opinion, hopefully Marco would be far headstrong to letting her daughter to commit hasty decisions. For far too long she had taken as her personal mission to break every single piece of royal protocol, what was once more to wait until she was married to consume her relationship with the boy she loved…but she couldn't really blame her, after all, she hadn't waited either, despite her own family warnings and threat, they all fell in the trash, where they belonged.

Ultimately Moon relented, looking aside with certain amusement, slipping her stony mask into place.

"Fine" Moon sighed looking at the third figure in the room. "As for you, I must inform you that snooping around at the royal's princess quarters is a very serious offense punishable by death…now hand it over." She extended her hand towards the rogue who could only blink as her eyes stared into two fiery mountains of doom clearly spelled from Moon's gaze. Groaning she pulled her device and hand it over to her. The Queen pocketed the device, launching a Mewman coin into the surprised Janna's hand with a judgmental expression.

"We have a royal audience in less than four hours…it is enough time to get descent…I don't suppose I need to call the servants. Have some breakfast and get ready. We have royalty and representatives from all over the Kingdom and the Princess is needed…and no hanky panky." Moon looked at them both once more before turning to leave. "Both of you, meet me in the studio…we must speak with your parents as well before the meeting, future Prince of Mewni. They should be here briefly" She nodded in respect towards the boy before grabbing River by the shoulder dragging the man outside who didn't look enraged, he looked instead like a kid that just dropped his ice cream muttering something about his beautiful flower.

Marco and Star both collapsed on the bed. "That…was too easy…too easy" The girl commented suspiciously to her boyfriend who nodded in response completely out of breath, unable to deal with the revelation of what he was kept in the dark…he was going to be a Prince and eventually, a king. Who knew that so much could change in a single day? Looking at the stunned Janna, he couldn't feel but to sense her despair. Months ago he would've be laughing at her predicament but those months had long passed.

"Janna…are you ok?"

The thief didn't even react, she just laid there with her chin propped against her legs. Tsking her lips she stood up cracking her hips and looking at the lovers on bed. Rising a challenge with her eyebrow, Star once more studied her but was instead relieved the moment Janna placated them with her hands.

"I am sorry dudes." She was honest, just one of the few times where she was really sorry.

"It's fine Janna-Banana." Star chuckled without any humor. "It's not like getting caught from our wonderful privacy and then my parents in a single day wasn't awkward at all."

"Star she gets it…" Marco caressed her hair reassuringly as the warg pressed his snout against her arm as well making her smile. "Look…" Marco sighed. "Just…we'll meet you to have breakfast, alright? Just, don't walk into mine and my fiancée's room without knocking first."

Rather than a sarcastic answer, Janna instead stood there, mouth agape. It took a lot to surprise her, first the Earth changed, then she discovered that they did the nasty…and now they were getting to get married.

"Jeez Louise…you guys are going all the way; don't your parents even know Marco?"

The boy rather than answering just embarrassingly rubbed the back of his head making Janna cackle. "Damn Star, you rubbed on him too hard, my homie here is now making rash decisions, you got the big boy pants now."

The teens blushed at her comment, hiding further into their covers.

Giggling to herself, the girl left the room, closing the door behind her.

Inside the room the teens groaned to themselves.

"Boy what a way to wake up." Star pursed her lips, lying on Marco's chest, enjoying his warmth just as Eowyn laid between them. "How did this little girly come through anyway? I locked the door."

Marco sighed. "I left her inside my room with some water and some meat from the kitchen…guess she found a way in." Eyeing at the destroyed door and pointing at it. Star blinked, looked at the pup and then snorted laughing, relaxing once more in his chest.

The knight couldn't help but to join as well, finding the comfort they felt with each other something that they had missed. Both of them had cuddled before but there was nothing like this closeness, fitting like two puzzle pieces.

"This is nice." Star commented, slowly tracing his naked chest with the tip of her fingers.

Marco smiled, tracing her gold locks. There was a whine and with a light growl the warg sat between them, propping her head on Marco's chest. Star giggled.

"Jealous?"

As much as they wished to stay undressed in bed for the reminded of the day, they had to deal with their duties. Star was the first to stand up in the nude and the boy couldn't help but to stare at her ass as she crouched to grab her discarded clothing, throwing a knowing look over her shoulder. They certainly had adjusted now at their nakedness rather quickly.

"C'mon there's going to be time for that _later._" She told him with certain promise.

Marco took a deep calming breath. "I'm up." He commented trying his best to avoid looking at her.

"Oh I am sure you are _up_…" She giggled as his cheeks exploded in red, laughing to herself she didn't bother to get dressed, kissing him tenderly that left him breathless, feeling her warmth and love. They separated with a smack sound as Marco closed his eyes in bliss, giggling at how easily she could have him going. The girl teased her boyfriend with a sexy sway of her hips, his eyes burning a hole through her. She repressed the urge to dive into bed with him once more but duty called…she did mean it though, there was going to be plenty of that later, she was going to make sure of that.

Marco stared at her naked form until she disappeared through the door leading to the massive bathroom, the last modification to her room before the magic was erased. Thoughts of joining her immediately put him in a strain, containing his lust, already at half mast, he laid there with the warg puzzling looking at him, smelling him and tilting her head, groaning as he heard the shower running.

"Star, I am going to get changed!" There was no answer from the other side of the door. He sighed again, slipping into his discarded garments who had luckily not getting stained after their activities. He made sure to avoid looking at her soiled panties knowing too well where his naughty thoughts would lead. Shuddering, he looked at her room once more before carefully exiting the room with the door hanging open for Eowyn to follow like a lost puppy. He laughed at her enthusiasm, liking her more and more.

Two brown eyes observed him from the very same hidden space that she had previously vacated with certain interest.

"Is this how humans hang out?" A voice next to her made her gasp in surprise, knocking out the flower pot.

Tom's quick reflexes caught it effortlessly, putting it back in its place, staring at her with his three eyes, with two of them raised in confusion. The sight would be unnerving to another one, but not to Janna, she could count with her left hand how many people could sneak on her. Going over her surprise rather quickly, she went off her hidden place.

"No, just checking on the love birds." She muttered too fast for Tom who threw Star's room a suspicious glare before he shuddered.

"I…don't want to know."

She couldn't help but to cackle.

"It isn't funny."

"Oh yeah, yeah it is." Janna didn't tumble in what she thought of the situation, annoying Tom who clearly would've started complaining before he groaned in a dismissing manner…it wouldn't matter, Janna was Janna. "I ain't gonna say what I found in that room…though I would say this little bitty thing…they got a new wolf pup."

The Prince of the Underworld waved his hand around, like if saying, does it really matter?

"You know me…I wouldn't be interested if it wasn't creepy or scary. This one pinned me alone with his eyes…feral, intelligent and unnaturally glowing blue eyes. I swear that I couldn't move…and it was communicating with Star and Marco. Surreal as hell."

Tom pursed his lips at this information. "A warg? I thought they were extinct."

"I heard about them…they chase the sun and the moon giving light and darkness with everyday…controlling even the stars that surround the sky, they're also called lukus." Both Tom and Janna finished at the same time.

"You know latin?"

"Scientia potentia est" She smirked, tapping her head.

"You know, my family archive has a vast collection in their species. It is said that they can grow as large as a house if they are pressed enough. They're tough as nails, with hide as thick as steel, the Butterfly family used them in battle before their supposed extinction. A warg selecting a master is a great honor…though I have never heard of two at the same time. If you want, we can check it out, together."

Janna chuckled at the last word. "My, my. If I wasn't sure, you're trying to woo me_ horns_? You surprise me Lucitor."

Tom blushed. "Well, I, yeah, I mean no! It's not like it is a date or something." He looked aside earning another laugh from the rogue.

"Aww you poor baby." She pinched his cheek. "Don't get upset, plus I'm sure that you and Marco hang out all the time."

"Well, yeah." He crossed his arms. "It's because we're bros, but we never go out to see the sights, it's always to talk and play video games."

She shook her head. "Well, then you don't know me well enough to say such stupid things. I am ALL about the creepy stuff, the horror, the crème of the crème of strangeness. In the belly of the beast, I go"

"Well, if it's the belly of the beast that you want. It is the Underworld, I thought you would really like to explore it without any more pressing matters to attend to. It seems that every time we visit my kingdom it is because I had to deal with issues relating to the mortal realm and not because someone wants to be there. I didn't even got to show you the sights when we broke the curse of the Blood Mood with those two..and I really want to get to know you better. You showed me how to have a good time with someone else that wasn't Star"

"Do you really want to get to know me that badly?" She looked at him surprised, blinking. Nobody has ever expressed an interest, even Jackie, good friends as she was with her, she tended to stay away from most of her hobbies for her sake alone. She was used to it, for long she had explored into where most wouldn't dare to indulge and now there was a boy who was willing to do so? It felt strange, but not the unwelcome type of strange. To be honest, hanging around that trash island with him was one of the most fun experiences that she had ever done…it felt nice to have someone backing her up for once, even if she kinda pushed him into it. He could've left anytime when he was being a creepy clingy dude but she showed him that she can be fun as well. What was better than bonding while breaking and entering?

Tom looked aside tapping his fingers around his forearm. "Maybe I want to."

The thief lifted an eyebrow, perplexed at the sudden interest in her. It was sort of cute the way he was making an effort to reach out. A devilish smile spread around her face, not able to resist taking it further.

"Only if you say that it is a date." She crossed her arms not following up what he wasn't freaking out yet.

"Then it's a date, thank you for accepting…how about tomorrow?"

Wait a minute, what? Did she seriously walk into that one? Oh…this one was a sly one.

"Why tomorrow?"

"Because today we must have a very important meeting, the whole royal houses are here to talk the future of Mewni. I, as Prince Lucitor must be here for the interests of the Kingdom…even if I hate my duties, I need to come clean and do them, for my people."

Janna pursed her lips, impressed.

"At what time do you want me to pick you up?"

"Tomorrow hmmm? Three, sharp…don't be late."

The demon smiled wanting to dance in celebration but he kept his appearances, throwing her a look that spoke volumes about how he really felt about the situation and Janna met it head on with no hesitation. Both had smiles as they nodded to each other. Perhaps this was his chance to finally let go of Star, this time for good. It was a motion that excited him and scared him at the same time.

"My, my, and who might this beautiful young lady would be Thomas?"

An alluring voice behind them made them jump in surprise.

Ok! Maybe this was the last person in her left hand, thought Janna with grimace observing the new comer. It was a man dressed in a regal deep blood red tunic with puffy shoulder pads. A large bone and glass infused skull with horns was pinned to his neck that was adorned by a white ruffle necktie. A thick brown leather belt with a pink rhombus crystal, his pressed blue pants ended with two leather Victorian style high boots that ended below his knee. His brown hair was perfectly trimmed, not even peaking from the shiny and gold crown atop of his head. His blue eyes were not malicious but they sparkled with a playfulness that confused Janna.

"Uh, hi dad."

Janna elbowed him on the side. Throwing her an embarrassed look at her, he cleared his throat.

"Father, this is Janna Ordonia, she is a friend."

"A friend? A pleasure to make your acquaintance." He politely took her extended hand, squeezing it with a well-mannered firmness that Janna found welcoming and assuring, making her smile.

"Pleasure it's all mine King Lucitor. A shame we haven't been presented." She smiled. "I see where you got your coolness Tom." She shot the King a wing and double finger salute with a slight click of her tongue making the King to laugh.

"Glad you're here. Already moving on from Star Butterfly, aren't you?"

"Dad!" Tom protested, a slight snort from Janna brought his annoyance to ten-fold.

"Actually…" She smiled devilishly, wrapping her arm around his, doing everything in her power to not laugh at his blush. "He and I got a date tomorrow."

"Splendid!" The King smiled. "Wait until my sweet Wrathmelior hears about this. Now, if you excuse me, we must prepare." His face lost his playful look, crossing his arms around his back. "Thomas, we have a meeting to attend to. You and I have much to discuss, I know that you do not wish to be bothered about these matters, but your duties cannot be on hold any longer, we must uphold the wellness of our kingdom and of our subjects. This is a new world and you must be ready to face it."

Rather than protesting, Tom nodded solemnly. "I shall."

A small smile dew on the King's face. "I am proud that you finally get the big picture. You and your mother are proud of you, I cannot ask for a better son."

Rather than answering Tom looked aside with an equally small smile. "I am lucky that you're my parents."

"Baughh, parental drama." Janna quipped.

The King laughed. "I like this one…quick witted and sly. You know? I don't mind if you attend the meeting. Queen Eclipsa requested that only the royal families or representatives attend it, however, whoever I see fit is welcome to be among us."

"Sure, why not?"

Tom looked at her confusedly. What was her angle into all of this?

"Well, I must be off. Thomas and Miss Ordonia, I expect you in an hour in the royal room." He nodded at them, smiling at Janna before he left.

She winked at him the moment the King politely took his leave.

"You're surely taking this very well." Tom shot her a suspicious glare. "You aren't going to steal something, aren't you?"

"Please" She huffed with a dramatic palm on her chest. "This is a treat that I cannot back away from. Free food, drinks on the house and maybe the company isn't going to be so bad horns." She extended her hand to him.

Tom blinked for a moment staring at it before he viciously tore away at his inhibitions taking it, intertwining her fingers with his, liking the warm of her hand at the alluring gaze she was giving him, like a spell that drew him in. Maybe, just maybe this was the type the type of person he needed in his life, only time would tell. Smiling at Janna, he couldn't help but to feel marveled at how easily he had gotten the opposite of what he wanted…sly indeed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As the brown-haired boy entered his room in full disarray, looking with some annoyance to the warg at the destroyed door to his room which lowered her ears, a different type of meeting was taking place in the library.

Moon and River waited patiently sipping ale from the cellar, ahead of them were none other than Marco's parents dressed in fine clothing, looking somewhat displeased at the sour words that the Butterfly family just informed them after sending two servants to pick them up. In front of them was a document written in fine print with Archibald, the royal servant waiting patiently in front of them, not flying but sat for once in a smaller chair. The ink still looked fresh and the flying monster did not look away from the situation, not even when Angie lifted an eyebrow, looking annoyingly still with Mariposa sitting on her lap and sucking her finger. The father of the family looked quiet, a strange behavior for his usually chirpy and outgoing persona.

"This change so many things." Angie started, tapping her dress covered knee. "Are you sure that this is the best course of action? It seems so…rushed."

Moon smiled, agreeing with the woman. "But you know them. For them, it is all or nothing…after walking in a very embarrassing situation in the morning, I must say that they're taking this very seriously."

Angie and Rafael looked at each understanding exactly what she was referring to. The matriarch of the family sighed. "It seemed like yesterday when I was changing his diapers and now…he's going to become the Prince of this kingdom."

"And eventually, the king." Finished River, looking far too calm after what he just witnessed in the morning.

"Yes…" Moon hummed, confused at his husband's relaxed state. "I wish that I would've time to plan this with far more time, however, since this union, there had been so many things in our plates, so many things to rebuild in this new world. I apologize from my daughter for this hasty decision."

"No, no." Angie chuckled. "He has gone through so many changes in the spawn of so little time, it is surprising from him to risk everything he has ever known just to be with Star. There are so many things that I don't know about, but they belong together, they've fought tooth and nail to be with other, I am glad that they finally pulled through. I still think it is very early but, if it is one of the ways to stabilize Mewni."

Moon crossed her hands together. "I must inform you, that our meeting it is a formality that we extend to you. We would be forever grateful to accept our daughter in your home; Marco is perhaps the most important person in Star's life and I am glad that they got to know each other. As a service to our kingdom and the future of it, we extend our eternal gratitude for his services rendered and the fantastic choice for my daughter's future. The wedding is planned in six months from this day forward and eventually they will need to produce the heirs of a new blood line as soon as Star and Marco take their crowns and guide the future of our kingdom, it will be a while before that happens."

Angie smiled with relief.

"Starting right now, as soon as the power is formally given back to me, the Diaz family will be of nobility. Your son will be Sir Marco Diaz, Duke of Echo Creek and Earth, as his parents you are entitled as well for nobility, Viscount Rafael Diaz and Countess Angelica Diaz, as the second in your house. While Queen Eclipsa still holds the reigns of this kingdom, she and I agreed to provide you with a large county of fertile land and peasants, a cottage that we will build for you and a detachment from our army to serve you. As noble family which will be married to my daughter will always be linked to the service of the Royal court and our family names will join, we will be family and in Mewni, we take care of our own. You will receive a weekly stipend to fill your coffers as well as a portion of the corn's harvest, a very important food source in our region which sometimes can act as currency or settling debts, we can resettle the terms when Marco becomes the King of Mewni. We will never abandon, usurp and damage your name as you gave us a good service and companionship in these turbulent times and we will fight for you through adversity or foe. This kingdom owes your family that its legacy is still standing and will continue to do so. As the ruler of these lands, I, Moon Butterfly The Undaunted solemnly swear that I will serve you in your best interests as long as I draw breath." She took a needed breeze of air. "Now Angela Diaz, do you accept these terms and conditions?"

For a moment, the woman didn't say anything, thinking about the hardships and dangers that awaited their son but she knew him…his heart was taken forever and ever, nothing would move him from where he was. To think that the change of their lives came in the shape of a Princess from another dimension and that type of love, the type of love and attachment they got was the type that you never let go. Regardless of the consequences, she didn't understand the cleave as any other but she wouldn't be surprised if they knew about it or they caused it themselves to be together for all eternity.

Pursing her lips, Angie thought about her job…ultimately, she chose what her heart was telling her.

"I love my job but…a higher call waits for us here."

The parents looked at each other and smiled. "We're educators." Angie commented, caressing the face of her husband at the puzzled expression on the Queen's face.

"Honey." Rafael smiled. "This is a great opportunity. We can start a school here, a school where everyone is welcome! Our son told me that the education for that change is lacking."

Moon smiled, not in shame to openly discuss the kingdom's problems with them.

"With that county, you will be able to do as you wish. If it serves a purpose towards the wellness of the Crown and our Kingdom, we can also pull funds to make it happen. It is true that we do lack the education to the masses…some diseases are treated with catapults" She grimaced at the expression of pure horror around their faces. "Perhaps this was the opportunity that we so badly needed; our nations can help each other grow to a level never seen before."

"Then we accept your proposition and I ask you to be patient in these matters. I know that we have so much to learn from your people, from your court, your rules and traditions." Angie smiled. "And who can be a better teacher than the Queen and future family?"

"That's the spirit!" River raised his cup of ale to the skies. "Drink up!"

Mariposa clapped in excitement as the royals drank their drinks. The parents looked in curiosity at their own drinks in a questioning matter, but not wanting to insult their hosts they each took a small sip, almost dropping from their chairs in shock. It was extremely potent!

King River laughed in good humor. "You two have a lot of learning to do…and we do Mewmans love our drink!"

"That we do dear." The Queen smiled in jest. "Now please…Mr. Archibald." She directed her gaze at the Royal servant, nodding at him. He smiled delighted, flying over to put the document carefully on the table with ink bottle with a pen in it. Angie took the pen briefly looking at the document which she couldn't read, but she trusted the Queen, signing it with her name as well as her husband. As soon as they were done, the Queen nodded at them briefly.

"Now that's out of the way, shall we prepare for the meeting? It will give you experience in the matters to come…they do happen very frequently, as Mewni's nobles and subjects, your voice matters, it is our duty to uphold their voices because we belong to the Kingdom. It is a motion that Star and Marco need to understand before they take our place."

Angie smiled rising her drink just as the others. "Then I pray it doesn't come's as early as my son marrying at this age."

They all laughed clinking their drinks together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **The chapter might seem like uneventful, but you better get prepared for the next one before the big storm that is coming and I do not mean the meeting that is about to come. See ya in the next chapter.

D4rK


	8. Between a Stone and a Butterfly

**A/N: **Thank you guys for your support, almost 10k views!

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 8.**

Between a Stone and a Butterfly.

Archibald cleared his throat.

"May I present the future Prince of Mewni, Marco Ubaldo Diaz from Echo Creek, Earth."

The boy in question smiled at his parents and the Queen and the River respectfully, making sure to bow to a level that was deemed acceptable of respect to Moon's approval.

He was dressed in the formal white tunic that he used in Song's Day with some modifications, with an braided half-moon gold tassels that were polished to a beautiful glowing gold. His tunic was a pristine white with gold buttons, he was wearing a sash of cyan blue to represent the Kingdom of Mewni with a warnicorn crossed with a butterfly wrapped in a heart pin just over his heart. His gray pants were tapered ending in black polished boots.

His left shoulder was covered by a brown half cape of goat-pig fur that reached to his knees that was pinned to an intricate leather straps that would keep it in place.

The Diaz parents stared astonished at their son in surprise, never imagining that he could look so dashing. Embarrassingly he smiled but he maintained his attention completely centered in the Royal family.

Mariposa was to quickly snort, clapping at the apparition of the warg between his legs, dressed with a thick leather collar and a small blue cape around her shoulders with the Royal family crest on the fabric. Eowyn looked at the adults around the room, centering her gaze on the Queen and stared. Glowing blue eyes stared intently into Moon's who tilted her head, chin held high as if asking, are you going to be trouble? The warg dipped her head down, staring at her down until Marco moved to sit with his parents, with the warg sitting between Angie's legs. Mariposa giggled extended her hands to the warg who was to quickly laid on the floor so she could pet her making a sound between a whine and a growl.

"Son, you look like…" Rafael sniffed.

"Like you're playing the part." Angie finished, squeezing his left arm. "You look just like a Prince."

"And he will be." Moon added. "Marco." She addressed him with a small smile tugged on her lips.

Marco was still wary of her intentions, knowing well enough of her betrayal. He didn't want to meddle in Star's affairs but he knew that she was still angry with her and with good reason, yet, his words about the matter were going to be still in his lips before they could sit down and talk proper. For now, he would do as was expected of him and be the best that he could be to Star, for both of their sake. He sat straight, giving the Queen the full attention.

"We were discussing terms with your parents, which they already accepted. Let me be the first to inform you that you are no longer a knight of the Royal Guard, I will name you Sir. Marco Ubaldo Diaz, Duke of Echo Creek and Earth, your parents are entitled as well for nobility, Countess Angelica Diaz and Viscount Rafael Diaz, with all the benefits of the nobles of my court. Star told me already of the plan of marriage, while rushed, it is imperative that we secure your position as Star's only suitor before the nobles get on your case, it is a show of strength, politics and the glue that will hold the kingdom together until a heir is next in line. While normally I don't intent to keep up with noble rabble, we need them to work with us and not against us. Some might not see it proper because you are not noble by birth, however, given your heroic actions and the delightful company of my daughter that made her grow to the person she is, it is with great honor that I as the Queen will reward your selfless actions in the wellness of the Kingdom and of Earth, time and time again."

Marco's lifted eyebrows were the only thing that he expressed not wanting to gap in the presence of the Queen and the King, if only to practice his manners when he was dealing with the other nobles. He didn't know how to take this, it was happening so quickly for him, yet dipped his head down respectfully.

"You are too kind Queen Moon. I must confess that I didn't do it at the beginning for the Kingdom…I did it for Star. I…I've always loved her."

River's eyes softened at his words, nodding calmly at the boy with a small smile tugged at his lips just as the Queen chuckled in response.

"Oh, I was well aware of that. But you two have gone through so much together, we've all changed."

Marco looked aside, once more swallowing his words and thoughts with the warg looking from her position, rubbing against his leg in response. Smiling, he caressed between her ears once more looking at the Queen.

"Yes, I guess we all have, in more ways than one." He looked aside, perking as soon as two Royal Guards opened the door to the studio.

Archibald cleared his throat.

"Presenting the Princess of Mewni, Star Butterfly The Underestimated!"

Star made its appearance and this time he completely forgot the royal protocol. She was there in her full glory, stunning and ravishing, her hair was styled in a half up, half down style with a bun behind her head, placed on top of it was a new crown, one that he had never seen. It was like a mix of her Royal crown with a pink rhombus on the center with two golden devil horns protruding from it and it accentuated her pink star earrings.

His eyes couldn't help but get drawn to her naked neck and shoulders and down from her crescent moon pendant that hung from her neck to the beautiful strapless ball dress with cyan blue, white and a purple folds that ended in a layer of black, with a pink bow at the waist, pinned with a bright pink heart. The sleeves ended up at her naked forearms with a long and intricate knot of fabric of cyan and fuchsia.

Her beautiful blue eyes glowed with mischief and amusement with the spice of love that only her could hold for him.

King River cleared his throat deeply and when he gained no answer he finally started shaking the boy from his stupor.

"It isn't polite to stare dear." Angie smiled with amusement at her son and he could barely hold his marbles as the beauty sat next to him, taking his hand in hers, squeezing it firmly, feeling the warmth of her skin against his.

"You look so dashing my sweet prince." She murmured pecking his lips in the display of everyone. The boy accepted it with tender love, burning with a happiness that wanted to burst, he felt the fire of their union and what they meant to each other.

Blue looked at brown.

His parents smiled but Queen frowned at the display of public affection, she would need to have a long talk for the incoming day and what was expected of her. The moment she looked at her husband and his dramatic overreactions, the King was...quiet. Was he planning on murdering him on his sleep? Or perhaps a more cunning way of assassination that involved gloating torture. For a moment she swore that he looked devastated. Did he really think so low of Marco to think that he was a bad choice for their daughter?

Sighing, the warrior lowered his gaze to the floor and the moment his eyes came up, they were burning with a determination that she had only seen only in battle. Slowly, he locked eyes with Marco, giving him a brief nod of acceptance.

At that, Star couldn't help but to place her hand on her beloved, squeezing firmly.

Her face lighted up as soon as she made eye contact with the love of her life, close to risking losing themselves to each other once more if it wasn't for this time for the Queen to lightly tap the table in front of them.

"There will be a time for that dear...in six months exactly."

Both teens blushed just as Rafael and Angie tilted their heads, brushing their foreheads together in happiness just as the youngest Diaz looked up and shot Star a wave. She couldn't help herself and placed the baby in her lap, rubbing her stomach earning a giggle from the baby. Never far away from the attention, Eowyn laid close to Marco, looking intently at Moon when she began to speak.

"Normally." She began looking intently at every single person in the room. "We would plan such an event in the spawn of a year but with the pressing matters at hand, shortening a meticulous planning. This collision did more than a number of our borders, reports have come that other lands that used to be in other dimensions were also cleaved with us."

Star looked crestfallen at the information, looking with a clear apology to Marco the moment he squeezed her hand and smiled. They will do everything together, regardless of cooking nachos to deal with the new tensions to protect their home and each other. The Princess briefly looked at her mother, still conflicted about the decisions that led them both to take the path of cleaving their worlds together without being aware of the consequences. Internally she sighed with the clench of her heart aching for what she was about to discover the moment they entered the meeting. Once more Marco squeezed her hand as if sensing her thoughts with the warg looking at her intently. It felt strange having her gaze, she felt…oddly relieved. Remembering her hated lessons, she smiled briefly, enough to fool her mother, but Marco was a completely different story, looking through her.

There was going to certainly be a big talk after this thing was over.

"Regardless…I am proud of you both. No matter what happens, we're family and we stick together, no matter what." River kissed his wife which couldn't help but to frown, looking aside where a brief smile drew herself into her lips.

The flying servant cleared his throat, bowing in the air. "My Queen…the reunion is beginning. Your presence is required in the Throne Room."

"Of course." Moon bowed briefly at Archibald, grateful for his presence making the small monster to smile. "Well?" She directed her gaze at everyone in the library. "Shall we?"

The lovers stood up together hand in hand, just as their parents did. Slowly Star was the first to exit the library, dreading every step to the throne room. Already before the room she could feel the weight of the world settling in her shoulders, but she didn't have to face it alone, another squeeze of her hand brought her with the reality that no matter what happens, Marco would be there in every step of the way. It gave her the courage to face the music.

The Royal Guards opened the door of the throne room, darkness quickly illuminated by a sea of faces inside of the throne room.

Two gold heralds were blown at their presence, the room completely falling silent.

"HEAR! HEAR! Announcing! Regent Queen Moon Butterfly The Undaunted, Regent King River Butterfly, Princess Star Butterfly The Underestimated, Sir Marco Ubaldo Diaz, Royal Knight and protector of Mewni with his estimated parents, Angelica Diaz and Rafael Diaz from Echo Creek, Earth!" The booming voice of Archibald resounded through the halls. Sitting at the throne Eclipsa dressed with her red coronation dress and a golden crown dipped her head respectfully, just as her husband Globgor dressed in furs and tapered pants and shiny boots did. Meteora clapped as she gazed at the eyes of her friend held by Angie. The crowd seemed confused at the apparition of the warg, who looked at every single face with caution with many feeling something akin to dread, it last for a few seconds until the warg looked at her owners walking towards their table, she fell behind line, sitting under the table, her glowing blue eyes peeking from behind the table cloth.

The nobles and other people that they could not recognize bowed their heads respectfully and in turn, they did so as well. The crowd were sitting with dozens of tables arranged in a horizontal way to face the throne and the Queen, a sea of people met Star, she was overwhelmed at their presence.

Eclipsa stood up from the throne, directing at the crowd. "Nobles of Mewni, estimated representatives and other parties, thank you all for attending in this important day. I rejoice in standing here among you to face this calamity together. As you may know, outside of these windows, we woke up one day in a different world, a collision of magnitudes never seen before in this Kingdom, just as our kingdom was savagely attacked without provocation by an enemy that was ready to destroy it all." She didn't make eye contact with Moon, but still the silver haired woman and her daughter felt it digging a hole into their hearts. "Yet we prevailed, as Mewmans…the word might seem confusing to some, but we all belong to this beautiful land. It belongs to all of us, from the poorest peasant to the richest of nobles of all races…we're all equally natives of this land and it shall remain like that until the end of times."

The crowd stood up and gave a round of applause, resounding through the room, Star with sadness saw as some did it half heartily, trying their best to hide their frowns at her words.

Eclipsa lifted a hand quieting the room once more. "I declare this session to start. Our issues will begin by the Royalty of our allies, then nobility that is part of our fair court, then the issues with the lower classes and ending with the representatives that are outside of our borders which made their best efforts to be graced by their presence to resolve these matters in a cordial manner and for that…I thank you from the bottom of my heart, now, how about we start after breakfast? Please take a seat." She clapped her hands.

A dozen of royal servants of all races poured into the room, carrying carts full of assorted foods. Butter buns, steamed corn rolled in tomato pulp, assorted meats like poultry or pork with milky butter and an assorted of drinks like iced cold pulp juice, coffees and milk with another carrying pastries and alcohol of all sorts, reaffirming Moon words that indeed, Mewmans love their drink.

The meals were served, with the mass of people eating to their hearts content.

Star munched from a piece of buttered bun making sure to keep an eye on the food to not dirty her dress, using a fork and a knife. It felt stupid and she hated every single of it but she knew it was a complete necessity to keep appearances. From her part, Moon once more nodded at her, displaying a proud smile as she cut away at a piece of turtle-duck, cutting it into a fine piece before chewing in it slowly, her eyes drawing to her own family at the end of the row of tables who were looking at her intently and whispering to themselves. She turned her head to gaze at her husband who ate without any manners whatsoever so she could roll her eyes at her own family…at least he wasn't being a little more careful to not dirty his blue tunic and stain his beard with food, she smiled at him appreciating that their half a year recess from ruling Mewni hadn't dulled their etiquette.

At her side, Marco wanted to laugh at Star who sure wished that she could instead let go and eat like her father was currently doing. He mused this as he took a sip of his juice and ate his buttered bun. Snorting as Star growled as the bun just gave away to the assault of the silver utensils. She looked at him as he made fun of her, throwing Marco an annoying glare. The only thing that he did was to lift his bun with a fork and holding it at eye level. Giggling, Star lifted a half-eaten bun and joined their buns in the mockery of cheers.

"Boop! Cheers!" Both said at the same time with a giggle, crossing buns and taking a bit of the bread, chewing with gusto. Moon at their side looking at them with annoyance praying that nobody had seen such lack of manners at the table but everyone was too busy with the meal to pay them heed.

After the meal, once more Eclipsa sat with an irritated Meteora who had been trying to get off her parents clutches to go to Mariposa, openly hissing at Eclipsa who just bounced her to her other leg, caressing her small shoulders in a reassuring matter.

"Be patient dear…almost." She whispered in her ear just as Globgor smiled with amusement. Sighing, the former Queen of Darkness stood up with her daughter in her arms. "I hope you've all enjoyed the meal. Now.." She clapped her hands. "Let us begin. We will start by the Cloud Kingdom…may I direct your attention to your majesty, King Pony Head from the Cloud Kingdom."

Respectfully nodding at the Queen, he floated higher from the various members of the Royal Family to the space in front of the throne room. Briefly Star for the first time found her beastie Princess Lilacia Pony Head looking not unusually bored as she usually was…who knew how this change affected her to look as serious as she was right now?

"Normally I wouldn't dwell in these matters, these are after all Cloud Kingdom business, however with the elimination of inter-dimensional travel, this forces my horn to look into resolving the issues that is affecting our supplies. We have no way of upholding our treaties with the Kingdom and in turn we've been forced to limit the intake of our food source to our population as well as our coffers are suffering without being able to supply our own contributions and exportation of our goods. We request that this matter be solved immediately, as well as the issue of transportation. It was a complete hassle to float down here…me and my daughters had to dodge those infernal flying cylinders in the sky. Our borders, even where we are, our air space must be respected." His booming voice echoed through the room as he respectfully bowed his head towards Eclipsa. "Our kingdoms have stood head to head for hundreds of years but this matter is something that has never happened in our world, so now, Queen Eclipsa, I must heed your words and inform me, how can we resolve this matter effective immediately?"

Eclipsa nodded at his words, snapping her fingers. One woman and one man dressed in business attire stood up from the crowd in their respective table, awkwardly bowing towards the Queen.

"May I present Senator Sabrina Cotugno and the Governor of the State of California Dominic Bisgnano. I believe they are more than sufficient to start correcting the supply routes and have our solution to this dilemma."

"Thank you Queen Eclipsa. As she established, we're all dealing with this at our own leisure. A few days ago, I was having a picnic with my children and the next, here I am in your court talking to King Pony Head…times are changing indeed."

The King lifted an eyebrow in exasperation, thinking it was wasted oxygen, his eyes scrunching in annoyance at the human.

"Per agreement between our nations, the United States government shall help Kingdom of Mewni, involved kingdom and its people. We will simply use helicopters to transport your goods to the drop zone that you wish as well as carry back any supplies that you may wish, air dropping them in your kingdom. Also, I will apologize for not respecting the air space…since it came out of nowhere, we're still mapping this new world. Furthermore, we will assist in any way in our power to a treaty if you wish to open trade. I am sure that our people can help from each other."

This time the King hummed in response, nodding briefly towards the politician and then to the Queen who nodded back. Without saying any other word, he floated back to his table, curiously Star observed that the politicians did not in fact return back to their own table, but they actually stood there, looking expectant of the next person who would speak.

"King Dave Lucitor." Eclipsa acknowledge the man. "From the Kingdom of the Underworld, you have the word."

Slowly, he nodded at the Queen, clapping his son's back as he did so, walking towards the center of the throne room.

"Greetings, I must thank the Butterfly family and the Kingdom of Mewni to have me here. Just as the Cloud Kingdom, we've been one of the ever-lasting allies of Mewni for generations. We go way back, far beyond the unfortunate war against the Monsters that claimed so many innocent lives and thus, I find myself here in your presence to heed my words. I've watched alliances die out, left to wither because we did not properly tend to it. The opposite has happened in our kingdoms through its history and now I must ask for Mewni to solve our issues with the entrances of our world to yours, to allow us to create entrances in different parts of the kingdom as well as Echo Creek. These would be part of our kingdom and we should post guards at every entrance as part of our borders in the surface area to facilitate the importation and exportation of supply and raw materials."

The royals nodded to each other. "May I also talk about our proposal as well?"

"Proceed." Eclipsa waved him on.

"Estimated representatives from every corner of this new world. It has come to our attention that the people are not being properly represented, I dare to say that even dozens of voices are extinguished every day at the face of impunity and we care about those. It might be seem that we do not…but I do." He looked at his son, smiled briefly at him, directing his attention once more to the public. "The Earth representatives spoke about the proper ways to do so, starting immediately we will create an embassy to deal with the issues that plague our respective nations, with Mewni sending their most esteemed representatives towards the Earth side and the very same will happen in our Kingdom, which will have one per every Kingdom allied to the Butterfly crown. Every issue, every problem will be redirected towards them to divide and delegate every single problem through a chain and directly to the Queen, without further preamble, may I give the power of word back to Queen Eclipsa."

She stood up with her hands clasped behind her back. "Regent Queen Moon, may I please call you to talk?"

Moon slowly stood up as her family watched her walking towards the center of the room, standing side by side with Eclipsa.

"Citizens of Mewni, this is a new world and as such, we must adjust to maintain the values that has made our kingdom great for generations. Effective immediately, all nobles must present a complete registry of your subjects of all classes and report them to us. We shall create a data base of all Mewmans…that also includes the Monsters, now classified as Mewters, the insulting word of monster shall be eliminated from each legal procedure. Nor only that, but we will re-address and reconfigure the entire structure of our Kingdom. Positions of power to providence and counties will be elected by the people and what the Earth calls this…elections, in which an individual will vote for those that think that would represent them better to resolve and hear their issues. No longer will positions hand down from generation to generation unless the person is voted and swore in to serve the people, some positions will be hold down until health or any other adversity will happen to that person and the people has the will to vote them out or inform us if they are not properly doing their job."

Murmurs and even gasps of outrage ran through the people in the room, immediately hating the change but the silver haired woman was not there, in their presence was Moon The Undaunted. Butterfly form or not, the moment her eyes thinned out to hateful slits the room fell quiet once more, they respected her power.

"A new hierarchy of positions will be made available and we will discuss them and assign them at a later date. Now to speak about the issues of reparations for those affected in the cleave, the kingdom will set up a bail out for the districts affected by the war. With great regret I must inform that it will be a while to list the damages and the casualties that sadly caused so much destruction to our kingdom. First and foremost, the nutrition of our people have a our priority." She nodded at the representatives from the farmers guild, who nodded back respectfully. "The Kingdom will place a stipend to every representative of their county and providence and they shall redistribute this wealth among its citizens to cover for the loss of their family, properties until we can reestablish order. This procedure will be monitored by the Royal council very intently…no Mewman will go hungry or without housing under our watch. We serve the Mewmans, for the Mewmans."

The room clapped in approval.

"We've also paid the US government for help in new technology that will increase productivity, they will train us how to use it for a better quality of life. Hospitals with Earth doctors and nurses will be established through the Kingdom, we will also revive Skywynne ideas of education, which has been lacking in the last centuries as well as employ exchange doctors for training and education on Earth for the well being of our citizens." Eclipsa added her part. "I give the word to King Spiderbite, from the Spiderbite Kingdom."

The moment that Star looked at their table, she smiled the moment she spotted the Princess who was together with her boyfriend Slime who was dressed with a soft blue tunic and black pants with his hat absent. Politely the Spiderbite Princess nodded at her.

His demands as any was to withhold the deals that Mewni has done with them and he offered to open trade and relationships with Earth, a notion that was approved in the eyes of Moon and just like them, the Waterfolk King took his time to express that his territories had to be protected, exactly as King Ponyhead he reinforced the notion that their borders would not be usurped and his dealings with the Kingdom will stand as always to which Eclipsa reinforced her views in the matter. Bowing to the Queen, the man and octopus hybrid took his seat, putting his legs in a water trough in which the other members of the table had theirs in already.

"Now, please may Yvgeny Bulgolyubov take the floor?"

Star and Marco smiled brightly as the large humanoid frog stood up directing his attention towards the many faces that were drawn to him, next to her father, Katrina dressed in a fine yellow dress bowed next to her father who was dressed in a fine blue tunic and black pants.

Moon bowed to waist level to show her respect. She remembered the day that Star introduced him to her in that dreadful day, hiding from the Toffee controlled Ludo and his minions to save Star and safeguard the kingdom from peril. Buff Frog hid them and kept them safe and her in turn treated him like garbage. That was the day that she realized that the perception of monsters was wrong and she had hidden beneath the ignorance of her people at being overwhelmed by her own duties to care so berating them and separating them was better than to do what was just.

The pressure of being a Queen stole everything away from her. Every day she was pulled in a different direction with each issue mounting in her desk, treaties to sign, people to punish and kill, dealing with monsters here and there. It was until Star brought the issue up when they ran away to safety that she finally could gather her thoughts about the issue that had plagued the kingdom since its formation.

For how long had they been at war? Easily with the advantage of magic, they kicked them off their ancestral lands for their own selfish needs, hating them, slating them, pushing them away and killing them. No wonder they have been in conflict for far too long, her people for less than a better word were ignorant. Briefly she looked over Eclipsa, offering her a small nod in response at everything they were doing in this new world to lessen the load for Star and Marco when they took over.

"Citizens of Mewni and other estimated guess." Buff Frog started in his thick accent. "As you may now, our only village in this kingdom was destroyed." He sighed with great sadness. "We had losses of homes, family and crops. I am known as Buff Frog and I represent the interests of the Mewters, we ask humbly to bring back the stability of peace, unity and financial solidity that was promised to all Mewmans as our service to the crown and to maintain the peace between our people…I have offered my service to the Crown and the Butterflies promised a change and we've seen it, even though it has made many unhappy with our presence." He looked at the crowd scanning their faces. "But we're like you, we have families, mouths to feed and we would like to prosper in this new world. Can the Kingdom of Mewni uphold their promises to us?"

Moon was about to answer before she was cut down by Aunt Etheria who scoffed at his words. Directing her gaze at her, Moon murdered her with a look, forcing the old Butterfly to cower in her seat.

"Is there something that you would like to add Aunt Etheria Butterfly?"

The old Butterfly shook her head with disdain, snarling through clenched teeth at the public embarrassment as Heartrude placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Rolling her eyes at her insolence and the Queen knew that she would hear it about later, that sure was going to be quite fun.

"We will uphold our promise." Eclipsa nodded at the humanoid frog. "Just as we gave back the homes that we forcefully took away from you, we will deliver, we uphold our word and everything that conveys that decision." Her eyes centered especially in the faces that she saw getting angsty. "My word as Queen is law."

Buff Frog and Katrina both bowed deeply towards them taking their seats. Unlike other royalty or representatives, nobody but Star, Marco and his parents clapped for them, smiling in their direction.

Katrina sighed, tapping her father in the arm. "Do you think they will follow through?"

The humanoid frog grunted in response. "Old proverb, trust but verify…we shall check with Star and Marco later, they're our great friends my little tadpole."

She giggled. "Dad, I am already a grown up."

The gruff frog only chuckled at her in response. "Sure you are."

Moon smiled as they sat back, looking through the assorted faces. "The representatives of the lands that are not part of this Kingdom, I ask you to personally meet me at the library to discuss terms." She looked on several faces of races she did not recognize to nod back, curiously her gaze centered in a figure with a fish like appearance with needles growing out of his face. Politely centering back to the crowd. "Are there any concerns that must be discussed?"

"What about the defense of our kingdom?" A voice broke the silence. "Our armies are in disarray."

"Regent King River, you have the word." Eclipsa motioned for him with a wave of her hand.

The man stood up offering a bright smile at her daughter before taking his place. "Our armies were no match for this enemy. With the magic gone and in this new world, warfare tactics, equipment and training have become a relic of the past. We must reform our armies, the Earth has offered training, equipment as well as support and logistics to make it happen and bring us to this new world, there will be a demonstration of what is being offered to us per our deals with them for a more powerful and solidified fighting force with the spirit of the Mewman warrior"

"And how much is this going to cost?" The voice of Aunt Etheria berated. "If you have not noticed _Queen Eclipsa_ is that we already lost too much money, too much corn and to what end? To pick up the slack of a few peasants? They can pick it up on their own, that's why they're there and we're up here. We serve our interests to maintain our wealth and we in turn give what they deserve back." She stood up fully, taking the center of the room. "But now we've lost that power, that assurance that our money is being taken care of. We've lost an entire room of gold just for the sake of being transported into this ball of mud you call a new world and to what end? And now we're here bailing out peasants? Giving monsters rights? Rebuilding our armies? And for what? We haven't been in a good war in a very long time. If you were in charge Moon, none of this would happen…I am appealed of your reasoning to even allied yourself with this monster lover who went as far as to bred a kid with! She's the Queen of Darkness after all!"

"Aunt Etheria!" Moon hissed looking down on her. "Sit down! Nobody gave you the word."

She scoffed in response, shaking her finger at her. "I was too lenient with you. You didn't uphold the blood line and after my sister was killed by a filthy monster, no less you put everything where it was supposed to go! To the way things have always been in this kingdom, until her!" She pointed at Star. "Came and brought all these idiocy to the table…I cannot believe that people listened to you about all these moronic changes… my incorrigible little niece. You're a disgrace to this line and you advocated the Kingdom back to Queen Eclipsa! Where instead she should be executed to even having the heresy to abandon her duties for a monster love." The more she spoke the more Moon gasped in horror at her words, it showed a lack of control of their subjects, an insult to this court alone. Eclipsa for her part was relieving her failed reign once more in front of her, like if the tensions had never disappeared.

"You did this Star Butterfly, you brought all of this to Mewni!"

The murmurs of voices turned into a sea of disagreement.

With horror, Moon gasped looking at the faces of many in the crowd, nodding to each other with the older Butterfly feeding them that poison that had turned the kingdom into a mass of hysteria, biased, racist, xenophobic like Mewmans were, like a rabble, they would once more rebel against them and every single proposed change would throw away like garbage.

Marco watched the exchange with worry in his eyes, placing his hands around Star who was shaking, silently dipping down her face to the table.

"Star…don't listen to them, please." He implored her but the blonde girl did not even stir from her stupor.

"Order! Please, let us keep things calm!" Moon screamed but it was like screaming to the howling wind.

Tom who was currently watching the disaster about to occur stood up with some difficulty, controlling his anger through the saddest display he had ever seen in his life as Marco tried to console Starship. In the other table, Ponyhead gaped at the drama that was happening around her, wishing that she had a camera to post it in her show.

Two hands snapped against the table with enough force to destroy the table at the middle, spilling the food and drink to the center as Marco and everyone else jumped in surprise. The loud crash was so violent as the dishes cracked against the floor in a violent impact echoing through the room.

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP!?" Star's voice screamed like a banshee, echoing through the entire throne room. The crowd fell silent, terrified at the blue orbs of fire that looked down on them. Star snarled openly, walking over the destroyed table with determination. For every step she gave, Aunt Etheria fell her blood turning to ice, fear lodging into her mind…she couldn't stop staring at those angry blue eyes, shaking in fear as the Princess got closer and closer, feeling as death was approaching fast, trembling completely terrified of her. For a moment Marco thought he saw a red glow outlining her body.

Tom felt something in the air, something demonic. A demonic presence so ancient that it brought back memories, it was brief but he felt it in his pores, looking at his father who nodded confirmed his suspicions. What the blazes was going on?

The Princess took a deep breath. 'For generations, this kingdom was built in a lie. We thought that we were superior, better than anybody else that we mattered enough to start a bloody war with the inhabitants of this land and let me tell you something…we are not superiors in any way." The crowd gasped at her words. "If there is something that I noticed of my time with Earth is that humans are all the same, every sentient life is the same. We want to live and like a river, our wishes turn to fear and fear led to ignorance. We're a proud people with heritage that goes for a millennium, our strength knows no bounds, we've built wonderful things but we have also destroyed them out of sheer stupidity, we alone have done that, nobody else."

She crossed her hands behind her back. "Let me confess something to Mewni. I was behind every single one of Eclipsa's decisions during her reign."

The crowd mouths hung open.

"Every single big decision was led by me. I was helped by many others to make laws to bring back a unity that we haven't seen since we came here, all we have done is to murder without repercussions because we had magic and it made it okay…well not anymore. I was leading Mewni in my own way through Eclipsa. I did it out of the things that I've learned through my life. We're all Mewmans…and they matter!" She scowled looking at Aunt Etheria once more who was too stunned to talk back. "While you cower away in your castles, sending the young to die and led them pick the scraps while you get rich in corn. DOES THAT SOUND FAIR TO YOU?!"

Her voice boomed with force to riddle up the lower and medium class. "Nooooo!"

"You make them fear you, but it is they you should fear because you do all the work so they can get wealthy. I might have been born in royalty but to this day I have bleed, suffered tragedies and I have killed my way here quite literally for this Kingdom, me and Marco have sacrificed everything time and time again because it was the right thing to do, something that seems to be forgotten nowadays. I am not going to coward against the meddling of the people that have their claws in the past so they can put people under and get rich while others starve to death in our streets…no more. I am not a petty princess, entitled and self-absorbed to stay behind these walls while I send others to get killed under my name. I don't care to what type of oath they made them took, this is not me and I will not have it any longer and I don't need magic to carry my will. I don't care for whatever tradition and etiquette I am breaking; I will do what is right for Mewni and I don't care what some words say in an useless antiquated piece of paper" She growled to the winds, echoing through the halls making many shudder in horror, one of the many glass windows of the throne room cracking by itself.

That growl was unmewman and unnerving in kind,stunning the Prince of the Underworld in shock.

"Queen Eclipsa, I believe that we must make the announcement that we planned at the end of this arduous meeting." Moon sighed, feeding the silence of the crowd in a mix of confusion and sheer terror.

The green haired woman smiled at her husband, taking his larger hand into hers, standing up to face the audience. "Royalty of the allies of Mewni, honorable nobility and other estimated representatives. I have enjoyed my time at being your Queen but my moment is at an end."

The room exploded in confused whispers as Eclipsa held her hands to quiet them down. "It was my birthright to be here, I am a Butterfly, the Princess only gave me back my right after being ashamed of the lies told to the people and with good reason, the type of lies that she is trying her best to remove so they cannot hold any power over us anymore and keep hurting how great our Kingdom can be once more, for that very reason, I, Eclipsa Butterfly renounce as your Queen." She looked at the stunned faces of the crowd. "For three hundred years I spent my time in a crystal, wasting my life away as my daughter grew without a mother, leading her to a life of hatred and despair just as my husband was enclosed in the very same predicament, Star…" She directed her gaze towards the Princess who smiled warmly at her. "You made me the happiest person I could ever be…you brought me back what was stolen from me. I am not ashamed to admit that I chose my own happiness over the needs of our people and I paid dearly for it and I was even willing to let go of my happiness no matter the consequences if Mewni was going to return to harmony and when my Globgor finally returned, Mewmans accepted us as a family and as your leaders and for that I am eternally grateful, short as it lasted but our time has passed…"

She sighed. "We are people living in a different time. Star Butterfly is correct, this is a new world. This is the change that Mewni needs towards the future and for those reasons, I renounce the crown yet I shall be a member of this court as the most trusted advisor that this kingdom needs. I will give the crown of Mewni back to Moon Butterfly thus continuing the succession with Star Butterfly The Underestimated."

"And I, Globgor from The Sizechanger Clan will give my crown back to my dear friend River Johansen Butterfly."

The Mewman woman and the red stripped monster met with Moon and River who knelt, accepting their crowns on their heads, turning around to face the sea of faces.

"HEAR! HEAR! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN OF MEWNI MOON THE UNDAUNTED AND KING RIVER!" Archibald screamed.

The crowd immediately knelt towards them, respectfully looking at the floor just as Star went back to the table and took Marco's hand in hers with his parents following him, with the Princess guiding him to the center in front of the crowd who centered in the union of their hands, some gasped in understanding.

"All rise." Commanded the reinstated Queen, looking at her subjects with the calmness of a seasoned warrior. "This is not the only announcement that we're going to make today." She walked closer to the tables. "As you know…I am not getting any younger. Princess Star Butterfly has finally come of age and it is next in the line of succession to continue ruling over Mewni when the times comes." Everyone held their breath, knowing what would be coming soon. Some nobles smirked between each other, already making plans to strengthen their power with a royal union, offering their sons.

"Star already has made her decision of whom to marry." Moon added, that immediately put their plans on permanent hold.

Before the room could frantically explode, Aunt Etheria scoffed with amusement, already coming down from that unusual fear that took hold of her body.

"And with whom would that be?" She pointed at Marco with mockery. "That lowly human? He is not a noble, he is a knight…you know our laws. You serve the people, not the other way around…or do you want Star to be another Queen of Darkness?" She waddled at her own words to the amusement that it brought to see Star to scowl back.

The Princess was about to scream her lungs out knowing that Marco was a hero and a better person that anyone in this room but Moon rather than screaming a profanity back smirked with satisfaction, stunning her Aunt into silence.

"Oh I know that." Moon laughed with amusement, enjoying the look of confusion in her aunt's face. "Through our history, more than one Queen married a knight, however Mewni needs to acknowledge Sir. Marco Ubaldo Diaz, the hero of Mewni. A young man who has rushed to fight for a world that is not even his own, without asking anything in return but the companionship of my daughter. He completed Star in a way that I could never do and completed her training, training that she used to defend this Kingdom against all foes and we all must be grateful for everything that he has done for our Kingdom and thus, my first order as Queen is to make him an estimated member of my court. I will reward his loyalty by making him Duke Marco Ubaldo Diaz of Echo Creek and Earth with his parents Countess Angelica Diaz and Viscount Rafael Diaz, with all the benefits of the nobles of my court and thus a Royal Prince of Mewni, the perfect choice for my daughter."

Aunt Etheria growled, her large cheeks puffing in anger. "You…can't do that"

"No?" Moon scoffed. "I am the Queen! And my word is law!" Her voice boomed with authority.

The older Butterfly was about to scream back in defiance when she felt three set of cold eyes staring at her. The warg had come out its hiding hole, growling and peeling its teeth with an intensity that seemed to shake the room just as Star murdered her with a look of hatred, joined with the cold dove and burning pools of fury that emanated from Marco. The woman could do nothing else but to gape up and down.

"You better re-think your position." Star hissed at her through clenched teeth., cranking up to her full height, taking a wide stance, her eyes full of murder, tilting her head up to even daring her to defy her. Blinking, the older Butterfly looked at the ground defeated, her knee bending as she acknowledged the future Queen of Mewni.

Nodding in approval, Star lifted her new Prince hand in the air as the crowd went wild, hollering in happiness as the royals smiled. Their happy smiles met them with equal contentment.

With a wicked idea in mind, Star took the boy by his shoulders, gyrating him where he stood to her waiting arms, tilting him back until he was almost touching the floor, screaming he felt bouncing back to Star waiting arms, kissing him in front of the bewildered crowd who started throwing food in the air in celebration, their euphoria reaching a deafening scream as Moon shook her head in amusement, hooking her arm around River who pouted. Behind the couple the Diaz cheered at the display.

"Muaaaah" Star released her lips from the flustered Prince who had a crocked smile on his features. "And that's how we kiss in Mewni." She giggled poking at his embarrassed cheeks.

The Johannsen's couldn't take it anymore, storming the throne room with a war cry.

"LONG LIVE PRINCESS STAR AND PRINCE MARCO!" Grunt easily lifting Star and Marco in the air at full display just as the warg jumped into Star waiting arms, mounting them on his bear suit on which they waved with happy smiles on their faces.

"WAY TO GO B-FLY" The shrieking voice of Ponyhead cut through the screams like butter, flying up and down for her friend.

Unknown to the celebration that was happening blow, a figure drenched in black stood immobile through it, tilting its head down below. The figure hummed to his self, standing up almost reaching seven feet tall. He was dressed in a black leather jacket with a thick black tunic that covered his heavily accented upper chest, his massive shoulders tensed with energy as he taped the ceiling with fingerless leather gloves that ended up in glinting metallic fingers taking a picture with a device that he pocketed in one of his many pouches. His gold eyes peeked from the darkness inside of his hood, a chilling smile of sharp teeth drawing itself from it.

"I guess you're not such a disappointment after all."

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**A/N: **Next one is where it gets tricky…it isn't all roses and rainbows. I can assure you that.

D4rK


	9. Quite Bitter Things

**A/N: **10k views! WOOO HOOOO!Keeping this rocking. BTW, I started reading the Book of Spells, it is really a recommended guide for any of the background of the series and I recommend it a lot. I am going to eye the Star and Marco's Star and Guide to Mastering Every Dimension as soon as I can for some extra info. You guys are going to love the rating; let's just say that it is M rating is for a very good reason😉. Enjoy.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 9.**

Quite Bitter Beings.

"LET THIS BE A CELEBRATION THAT MEWNI HAS NEVER SEEN!" King River hollered to the air getting a cheer back as his screams bowed through the air, ordering entire carriages filled to the brim with ale, dry meats, cheeses, sausage and smoked pig-goats cuts.

In good spirits the nobles and lower classes raised their fists at the couple that had walked together with the Queen and the King to the receiving hall of the Monster Temple. The Princess was more than elated at the acceptance of Marco, celebrating with complete happiness at his side.

For a moment Star thought that once more the Mewmans would rebel against them and hate them just when she gave back the Kingdom to Eclipsa, but such motions were gone from her mind now as she squeezed Marco's hand and lifted it once more earning another crescendo to the voices that could even heard from the outside world and as the couple walked outside they were met with dozens of Mewmans and monsters that celebrated their union with great fervor. They all knew them, while her reputation as a spitfire and rebel Princess had gained a synonym to a trouble maker back in the day, with the lowest after the fiasco with Meteora, she had fought to be where she was. Many spat on her very name for giving Eclipsa the Kingdom and the family's heirloom back and truthfully, she had regretted that her morals had come in between her decision but that didn't mean that she wanted things to happen the way they did.

She knew in her heart that she would never be able to reveal that her own mother was behind the kingdom's owns destruction, dooming countless innocents, destroying precious corn and many homes still laid broken amok the remains of the towns. It was a far worse destruction that when Meteora attacked, the Solarian warriors had crippled their mighty military in hours. While her mother did not do the deed herself, she ordered the attack that was carried out by an enemy that was driven by the very same ignorance, xenophobia and ignorant crowd that had threatened the delicate peace and balance that Star laws have created through Eclipsa. She thought that she did it for the best, even if her people hated her for it, but that was not who she was. She couldn't just let dozens of innocents to die for the petty excuse of the greater good and in the end, that decision to ally herself with Mina, someone who was both a murderous psychopath and a blood thirsty individual out of desperation to seize the throne again. She never quite asked her how come her mother got rid of her after serving the Kingdom since Queen Solaria, yet her fame and support even to this day bothered her, just another chain to cut from the old Mewni towards the new.

They probably made a mistake letting her go…yet she didn't forget what she said, her ideas would live on. Magic or no magic, she was going to be back, no questions asked about it.

Concentrating in happier undertones, Star was just delighted about how easily the procession have gone, without objections but the annoying Aunt Etheria, just an old fossil clinging to the shameful history of her Kingdom. Everyone knew Marco as well. He started just as that weird human kid joined at her hip that followed the Princess to be known infamously mocked as King Marco after her 'song day' to organizing the defenses and rally an army when everything was lost against Meteora, when nobody could muster the courage to fight against the rabid monster and he stayed with her during the reign of Eclipsa, helping her, giving her his support and his love while she was too stubborn to know what was in front of her all the time, to rushing to combat again and again, saving the day at her side.

They had come through so much together and now her life line, the love of her life was going to get married to her, the only person who could complete her as a person.

Yet her eyes turned downcast at the losses of the very much still destroyed town around her and the Prince noted it immediately as she ignored the cheering voices and walked to the edge of the stairs that would take them to the town below.

The Queen had remained in the shadows, letting her bask in the glory yet her gaze turned into a slight frown as she observed her daughter, guilt eating away at her heart. Just behind her, Eclipsa and Globgor maintained their distance, mixed with the rest of the Nobles of the court rather than together with the royals, the green haired Mewman felt the despair of the young Princess as the air she breathed. Deep in her heart she knew the very same reasons that had led to her own people rebelling against the changes that Star have done through her made the people to hate them both deeply, culminating in the failed coup. The ancient grudge that Mewmans held against monsters were despicable even to this day. To think that her own people led by the corrupted MHC trapped her and her poor husband in that wretched crystal just for wanting a change against the unending flames of war…the only thing that she had been grateful for was that Shastacan Spiderbite took pity of Meteora; he didn't butcher her but gave it away to be shifted by the cruelty of life. The MHC choose a mere peasant as their own puppet to carry out their own will instead, spreading their lies and led the ball of carnage to follow on through.

For them it was better to live a lie out of their own prejudice, to maintain the strict and cruel order of things just for the sake of pretending until Star Butterfly came to the picture. To think that the spitfire Princess was the key to bridge Mewmans and Monsters together after centuries of discrimination and outright cruelty ended. Certainly, many still held on to their disgusting and wretched old ways but she had seen the change, she was in fact looking it right now. Mewmans and Monsters were mixed and celebrating together for the return of the Princess and her marriage to that sweet young man, yet her heart ached for what she was observing around her, it was the very same pain that drove her into the arms of Globgor in the very first place.

But unlike Star, she ran away rather than facing her problems head on with her chin held high.

From the side lines Ponyhead, Kelly, Janna and Tom observed the Princess with wariness, yet the closest to her, her lifeline took it the worse, feeling his chest hurt at the sad display of such a light up expression like a million volts to die in a few seconds, replaced with despair as she looked at the destruction. The dead might not litter the streets but they still possessed voices and their suffering wouldn't be disregarded.

Sighing, Star lifted her hands in the air just as the first carriages started pulling out into the streets carrying the drink and the food.

King River frowned, lifting his massive arms in the air. "THE PRINCESS WANTS TO SPEAK! QUIET!"

The crowd stopped cheering, observing the Princess with curiosity.

"Citizens of Mewni, we found ourselves celebrating this joyous day and for that, I thank you ". Star began, crossing her hands behind her back. "But at what cost?" She extended her hands to the still destroyed homes that littered the town. "I am glad that our path has brought me to be with you today, because you are my people and I wouldn't abandon you, regardless of what many said to me in the past months."

Many lowered their heads in shame.

"I refused to abandon you and this is why today, even in what we call a celebration. I don't think it is fair for me to be celebrating this while Mewmans bury their dead and cry over their loss of their loved ones and their properties. We're standing in the remains of their memories of where they could have been, we wallow in their presence even if they are not here with us. It is with this principle in mind that I refuse to carry out the celebration of the wedding with my Prince Marco Diaz today but for another day, instead, I want the food and the drink to be shared by all of us, because you are important, because you make this kingdom, you make this possible, not us. We serve the people, we serve Mewni, so please…help yourselves"

Star was a Mewman of her people foremost.

While many the nobles looked shocked and somewhat perplexed of her actions, some smiled and some even scoffed at her decisions but the people in the town went mad, cheering for her.

"WE DON'T DESERVE YOU!" Cried one.

"STAR BUTTERFLY THE BENEVOLENT!" Cried another until the voices of their messages spread through the air.

Below in the streets, King River himself guided the carriages where knights were soon called over to maintain order with the Johannsen's acting as enforcers of the Princess wishes…everyone was going to get their share. Lines quickly formed regardless of creeds, races or social classes, everyone mixed without division, hatred or xenophobia and for that reason, Star felt that the fruits of her efforts had finally have come to be realized, even if it came at the results of the battle that decimated most of the Kingdom.

Moon came behind her daughter, hugging her tightly against her chest. Regardless of how Star felt about her, even if her anger hasn't dissipated at her, she held on, hugging her back with equal fervor.

"You are the perfect blend of both sides of the family. I'm proud of you Star" The Queen brushed a small tear that had come from her eyes, kissing her forehead, breaking her own rule in the process. "I will make you right Star, I swear it."

Behind Star, Marco couldn't help but to smile widely at them.

Aunt Etheria instead, howled in displeasure as many of the Butterfly family looked in disdain at the rabble feeding on their food, food they paid money for and worked for. To think that they esteemed Moon in high regard, swearing that things would go back in track, but the older family to see this heresy in action, betraying their oath to Mewni and accepting these insane motions of equality and the importance of the insignificant peasant was an insult to the prestigious family name.

"Let's get out of here." Aunt Etheria said to the family with many scoffing back, taking their knights and their nobles from the Monster Temple.

Nobody stopped them or begged for their presence, instead Star and Marco saw them leave with pity at refusing to accept change. Moon just limited to watch them go without a single word, crossing her hands behind her back.

The many troops from the Underworld, dressed in armored red plating with flame styled helmets had been brought by King Dave as reinforcements of the surface, keeping the peace. Some Mewmans were scared of their demonic presence with many knights having their bassinet style helmets open displayed glowing red, sharp teeth or large horns to their hellish mounts, large Warnicorns with coal kissed fur with bright fiery hooves and red eyes.

Star finally took the time to back down into the platform just at the entrance of the Monster Temple holding on Marco's arm with the warg following, knowing that her job for the day was done as the Princess waved at her mother, smiling the Mewman Queen smiled back, nodding at her to take her leave. Her mother was reunited with the Diaz below for the celebration leaving them both with their close friends looking at them with a mixture of happiness and amusement.

"Ughhh, If I use my royal voice again, I'm going to have a headache." She complained to Marco as he laughed.

"That was a fantastic job Starship." Tom complimented her. "You sure took this to a level that I have never seen you do."

"I thought you were going to bust skulls in the meeting." Janna smiled caressing her hands maliciously.

Ponyhead scoffed. "As if, though you regret that nothing happened eh?" She smirked as Marco frowned with displeasure. "Girl you were on burning in there! Tell me again why you didn't smack some sense into that old fart, you know you wanted to!" Ponyhead lifted a questioning eyebrow. "My daddy would've been already giving everyone a third hole if he was as pissed as you were."

"That was a fantastic display of restrain." Kelly rolled a piece of her hair behind her ear. "We're mostly action than words, Mewmans should get to the point and start busting knuckles." She motioned to one of Star relatives, a Johansen had intercepted a chubby Mewman from skipping line and stealing a meat pie which he promptly lifted over his arms like a drag doll and dumped him like a bag of trash with a guttural laugh.

Star smirked. "That would make things so much easier." She chuckled as Marco threw her an annoyed look.

"Please guys don't encourage her." He complained as he held a giggling Star, taking in good stride the teasing laughs from the others.

Behind them the warg puppy tilted her head at Jorby sitting on his hunches.

"What are you looking runt?" He smirked as the warg growled, her blue eyes illuminating like electricity making the monster wolf to feel uncomfortable. "Ok jeez, relax."

Kelly who had seen the display laughed at her partner.

"Getting scared of a warg? Good thinking."

"You know of them?" Star asked.

"Of course. Like us Wooletts, they are ancient beasts. They used to run in packs, keeping to themselves and hunting. Fierce and protective of each other. They were hunted to almost complete extinction, they also could imprint in both Mewmans and monsters but now that I see." She motioned to Marco who had a puzzled look on his face as the warg came to him to be carried like a sulky cub. "She imprinted on both of you…you should be honored, it's not everyday that a warg chooses two masters. Where did you get her anyway?"

"Marco's mom brought her home…she said that a Mewman sold it to her."

The Woolett pursed her lips. "That seems like an impossibility, I think that someone purposely left her to be found, whoever it was, they knew that she's Marco's mother."

Star lifted an eyebrow in thought, perhaps it was a gift from someone? Regardless of her origins, she was equally happy at it, knowing that Eowyn's just as a wild spirit as she was.

"Come here girl." Kelly offered the warg a piece of dry meat that she pulled from her hair pulling her curiosity towards the Woolet girl. The warg looked at both of his owners before jumping from Marco's arms and accepting it, politely waiting with its mouth open displaying its very sharp teeth to Tom's nervousness. She closed her mouth with a loud snap the moment the snack hit her open maw, swallowing with gusto, licking Kelly's hand.

"Hey that was for me!" The large monster wolf pouted.

"C'mon don't be a cry baby! I already got you enough, I don't want you to get fat." Kelly laughed.

"Who you're calling fat?" He hissed standing on his paws, peeling his teeth at her. "I'll show you who's fat."

"Guys, not here." Star jumped before things could escalate bringing a smile out of Marco. "I am sure that we can find a place later on for you to tear each other's guts, just not in the palace." The smile on Marco's face disappeared as Janna snorted.

Tom frowned looking at Star intently for a few seconds. "Can I ask you something?"

Star lifted an eyebrow. "Uh, what's up Tom?" She didn't like how he was looking at her. Sensing her distress, Marco was to quickly tilt his head in a questioning manner.

"Star, how much do you know about your blood line?" The Prince of the Underworld asked her.

The question was even more perplexing than she expected, waving her hand in confusion. "Why are you even asking me that?"

"I don't know how to bring this up but Star, you were glowing red in there." Tom crossed his arms.

"Of course, duh! She was like a shining Star, ready to bust some skulls darling!" Ponyhead pitched in making most of them laugh, still Tom did not change his skepticism.

"I felt something demonic the moment you felt very angry, it felt very familiar, it is something that only us demons can feel, our power comes from the many souls we hold into our bodies, we have a signature energy as to say so we can feel each other's presence if we're close enough and display our power, but something fell off. It was like a familiar presence, like the energy signature of my family."

"C'mon Tom you had to start ruining this moment with your mumbo jumbo?" Hissed Ponyhead annoyed. "This is B-fly's and Prince Turd's moment, so if you could like, I dunno, take out the trash that'll be great."

Janna scoffed. "Hey girl, let him speak, it's something serious."

Marco raised an eyebrow rarely seeing Janna to stick her head for someone else unless it was for her own benefit. The flying unicorn head snorted with annoyance and it only took Star motioned for her to be quiet to do so.

"Well…besides knowing their names and some of their actions when they were Queens, I never really looked into their personal lives very much." Star admitted with a shrug.

Marco sighed, already knowing her antics. "I do know about it." Marco uncrossed his arms. "But it makes no sense, nobody has displayed any demonic abilities within the Butterfly royal family in their entire history."

At that Star really felt a bust of annoyance coming in from her. Nobody but her should know about these things, perhaps she should really read about their lives and how their kingdoms developed so she could never make their mistakes, she only read the entire chapter of Skywynne back to back because it was just…the first one before she got disappointed with the rest, though she could enjoy that her mannerism were just like her…a rebel that was neither going to be dominated by her own people or her mother. Who cared what they wanted to push unto her? No sir! Yet she couldn't help to start finding her objectives short of continuing with the endless circle of violence and the conflict that dipped the Mewman map like a spilled bottle of ink, reddening the paper like blood after countless innocent killed on both sides and driven away from their homes, once more starting the endless dance of death, making path for what was the bloodiest chapter in Mewni's history with The Great Monster War led by Solaria the Monster Carver herself…Star could never finish her carnage and harrowing filled chapter…perhaps when she had time she would sit down and digest the rest of the book, if only to learn of the mistakes of the past Queens.

Certainly, their views for the kingdom did not match in the slightest with Skywynne, changing her approval to disapproval as her views changed with time; yet she did help her master some spells that packed a punch and for that, she had earned her respect to a point but she immediately disapproved of the way that she easily spoke about massacring her own citizens for a mistake she made, waving it off as a joke, even blowing a complete universe and essentially running away from her problems was a highlight for her that Star had burned off a long time ago and emphasized how the duties of a Queen could started affecting your mental health to make rational decisions…a fact that rang true with her mother.

The chapter itself essentially burned off any positive opinions that had reinforced the greatness of the Queens of Old as she had been told by her past teacher and her mother herself and killed her interest in learning of their history rather that the magic that they could offer her; yet she never really had the time to study the book completely given for what happened with the book and her irresponsible attitude that had almost been her undoing and those she held dear to her, a crutch that almost made her lost her focus in her wishes for armistice and forever hating that the sins of her people would follow her every step in trying to commit to her vision…but Marco put her straight back into the path to accomplish it, not the way she had wanted through Eclipsa. She still couldn't believe how quickly her fellow Mewmans could turn on the kingdom the moment their sense of normalcy was changed, as if the comfort was a second skin that didn't want to be shed.

Star didn't like many of her fellow Mewmans, but they had her and she would make a far better kingdom for them with Marco at her side because compared with how they wanted her to run the kingdom, they were about to be disappointed…they were a team and she was going to acknowledge her own words, leading the kingdom their way. If only Glossaryckk was here to guide her…he was literally a fountain of knowledge, never forgetting a single detail, he would be able to clarify the weirdness that was coming off from Tom's mouth. She shook her head from her stupor as Marco feed her a piece of history that she never bothered to learn, blinking in surprise as how knowledge he could hold with things she would usually found boring…her complete opposite, giving the right to Eclipsa, _all knowledge_ is _good knowledge_.

"You're speaking about Lord John Roachley, a demon from the Underworld royalty, brother to the King of the Underworld back in the day. He married Queen Rhina Butterfly and from their union, Celena the Shy was born, she was half-demon so technically speaking, the Butterfly bloodline has demon blood"

The eyes of everyone widened.

"Damn Marco, you know your stuff." Janna nodded in approval.

"Well yeah, when I was helping Star with Eclipsa's reign we often stayed in the library for many hours. I took upon myself to learn their history and most of Mewni's background, I thought it was very important in the pursue of our goals." He smiled briefly at Star who blushed, laughing to herself, sheepishly rotating a shoe on the ground and he couldn't help but to look at her with love dipping from his eyes at how adorable that was.

"Ha! Nerd!" Ponyhead laughed, laughing with more amusement as Marco's expression did a complete 180 at her acidic words. The Princess turned immediately to her with a growl of annoyance that had the flying horse head to blink never having to face her wrath before as she immediately came in the defense of her Prince.

The Mewni Princess bit her lips nervously in confusion after a few seconds to gather her thoughts. "I…I didn't even know." Star crossed her arms. "You say that I was glowing?"

"I saw it as well." Marco admitted crossing his arms. "I felt something, I felt your anger, exactly what you were feeling, it was just like…"

"The Blood Moon!" They both said at the same time covering their mouths and looking at Tom for an explanation.

"It's impossible." Tom crossed his arms. "We severed the connection; we broke it off."

"Just like we cleaved this world together." Star frowned. "As Glossaryckk said, you can cleave something apart or you can cleave something...together." Marco and Star looked at each other with a slight worried look on their faces.

"But this could mean anything. No Queen has ever displayed demon abilities of any kind." Marco hummed in confusion.

"Well bro, the magic is now gone from this world for good. Before there was no need to harnessed the blood but now, I think it is calling for you Star. You used demon magic in there." Tom dropped the bomb shell as Star stood there in shock. "I think you were not very aware of what you were doing, but the moment you got angry, you rushed in like a berserker and displayed a terrifying presence aura to scare the court into silence and I felt it, only my mother can display something as frightening as that but she's too much of a pacifist to use it. It happened so fast that it was gone in a moment, but me and my dad? We felt it."

Star laughed, slapping at his shoulder. "C'mon Tom, don't start pulling my leg here. Me? Demon powers?" She giggled. "What's next? I get to grow a tail?" She laughed and touched the tip of her horned crown for emphasis, lifting her eyebrows up and down mockingly.

Tom rolled his eyes. "That's not the way it works with half-lings, through our recorded history, we have more than a few in our kingdom. They were mostly wary of them because unlike full blooded demons, many could not control their abilities because the process of acquiring souls is not available to them, they instead harnessed other type of abilities through other means...if it was even available to them, leading for them to get barred for generations until we found a way to keep them under control. Why do you think that my family kept Brian around?"

"Because he kept your claws sheathed?" Janna sneered earning a laugh from everyone.

Tom growled shaking his arms in annoyance before he took a deep breath to relax. "He's a half demon as well. He's not only my anger couch but the son of distant relatives. His mother raised him on Earth but she occasionally came down to visit the Underworld and him and my dad became god friends. He has never displayed powers outside of a very relaxing aura and that's why he could work so well with me but with you Star?" He crossed his arms. "With the magic completely gone, perhaps you're starting to dip into your blood, which brings me to the Blood Moon. You're sharing abilities with Marco that he never had before, remember when he flipped that horse in the realm of magic? No human is that strong to do so, maybe, just maybe the Blood Moon is finally influencing both of you, giving each other's abilities, it is sort of the theory that I got" Tom shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know even what to say to that." Star sighed. "Look…not like I don't want to revisit that stuff but not today. Today is only for chilling out with my best friends and about to be husband, not about demons, magical crap and past Queens." She took Marco by the arm who smiled, caressing her hair.

"All I am saying is that we can research together in my parent's library, maybe tomorrow?" The Prince of the Underworld offered, trying his best to ignore the Royals as they got grabby with each other in their presence without an ounce of shame.

"Hey! I thought we were going to dip our noses in sulfur exploring the Underworld, we got a date remember? 3 o' clock sharp!" Janna pitched in with annoyance, glaring at him.

The demon Prince froze in the spot, looking at the many eyes that stared in his direction.

Kelly was the first to grin to herself. "Well look at you Tom, already moving on. Classic Tom, caught _red-handed_" She laughed at her own joke.

"HA! Good one!" Ponyhead shared her humor. "You certainly can do WAAAAY better than the thief."

Janna growled crossing her arms, glaring at both of them, losing her cool surprising even Jorby himself. "Oh yeah? And how would you know? You wet 'em and dry 'em like dirty clothes. What would you know about a good choice?" She took Tom by the hand who looked around the fighting females as Kelly snickered with amusement.

Star and Marco looked at each other, waving their hands around in confusion. Suddenly Star had that gleam of mischievous that he couldn't help but to immediately catch on. Both smiled wickedly at each other, slowly backpedaling back into the hallway. The warg looked at them with a raised eye just as Marco made a clear hand sign for her to stay casually lying in her haunches looking at them go.

"You tryin' to say something thief? If I had feet I would be communicating all over your face" The Cloud Kingdom Princess laughed mockingly. "It's just plain ol' Tom, tell her B-fly." Silencer answer her, Ponyhead blinked looking around just as the others did observing their surroundings with confusion. "B-fly?" Only the warg was there where they were standing seconds ago. Eowyn lifted her head and snorted.

Marco and Star were gone like the wind.

The two breathed hard and fast, smiles lighting up in their faces and ran hand in hand, like a runaway couple from the altar through the hallways of the Temple, barely able to breathe between laughs. Checking the hallway that it was clear of the presence of anyone, they grinned to each other opening the door to Marco's room, closing the door behind them. They both laugh again in the safety of his room, even more at the one-foot wide hole that was sticking out like a sore thumb. Smirking to herself, Star took some of his books and covered the hole, pleased with her work. While Marco knew about the usefulness of knowledge, it seemed that today they would have a different use today. Playfully, Marco scoops the Princess up his arms as she giggled in surprise, both landing in the bed with Marco barely being able to avoid being pierced by the horned crown. Giggling sheepishly, the Princess placed her crown on his night stand, out of breath and looking at each other intently.

The Princess hand traced his jaw, marveling at the feel of his skin, his fingers centering on his lips, tracing them with her forefinger biting her lips as he kissed said finger, his own hands exploring her beautiful golden locks, hugging her tightly so he could smell the intoxicating fragrance of her hair, sighing in relaxation.

"You're so beautiful Star." He comments on her beauty, facing her once more, his breath tickling her face as she looked aside, strangely feeling bashful.

"You already said that." She commented, her fingers squeezing his tunic, sucking a moan as he kissed her cheek.

"And I will continue saying it."

Throwing him a mischievous look, one that was characteristic of her, she rubbed her nose with his. "You're such a dork." She teased him, giggling as he rolled his eyes, her hands firmly rolled around behind his back, her expression turning serious, her eyes burning with a passion that Marco felt in his soul, observing her half-lidded eyes calling for him. "But you're my dork…forevermore."

Both of them leaned closer to kiss, capturing their lips in a fiery union. The Princess and the Prince kissed without abandon, forgetting the physical world. It was just them living in the moment, their hands explored each other bodies, with his hands pressing against the material of her dress, caressing her perfect curves behind the material, earning a sigh from Star just her fingers unbuttoned at his tight collar revealing enough skin to capture his neck in a searing kiss that had him rolling at the feather touch of her lips against his skin, buckling his hips unintentionally from compressed excitement earning a growl from his Princess.

"Not that I am complaining." She bit her lips, twiddling a strap of her hair nervously. "But I don't want to explain to my mom why there's a stain where…you know."

His eyes shut out in surprise before he snorted and she couldn't help herself but to laugh, their bodies vibrating in chuckles.

"Well you know us, mess up clothes twins." They laughed with Star placing her head on his chest, lying fully on his body, just as his hands tenderly caressed down her back. These silly moments were just one of the many things that made her fall for him so hard, being in love was so enlightening.

From Marco's part, he was already figuring out that now they were getting physical, very fast. There was no hesitation, no buts or doubts, they wanted this together, so like any normal couple they were going to get it. It was a simple explanation that the person that he was before would never get in a million years, but here he was, with his beautiful Princesa looking at him.

Biting her lips, Star locked eyes with the spot that she had been kissing in his neck, placing her fingers tenderly on the marked skin reigniting the oven downstairs.

"Help me out of this thing, the Prince must obey every order." Star ordered with a mock face of her regal persona pointing at her dress, earning a smirk from the boy on top of her.

"Oh, so I must commit to your ever whim?"

"You signed the contract silly."

"Probably with invisible ink."

They laughed again just as he slowly crawled off her as she sat up, presenting her back to him. Slowly, his fingers teased the back of the thin material, earning a soft moan from her. The wings in her back flickering with excitement, almost flying on their own accord as he kissed the spot behind her neck, hissing through clenched teeth. His fingers pulled down the zipper of her dress, marveling as each part of her creamy skin was presented to him. She smiled, biting her lips, already burning with anticipation, kicking her purple dress shoes, leaning into him as they both wiggled their dress down her hips, letting him do the work, rolling the material that clung to her perfect form down her hips, letting herself being stood up so he could peel off the rest of it down her leggings covered feet. She stood there in her pink and purple covered leggings and a single yellow bra, doing a cutesy posse for him that he enjoyed, running his hands on her naked stomach, leaning in for a kiss, her hands traced his chest for a moment before pressing down on him, stopping from continuing any further.

"You're a little bit overdressed for this razzle-dazzle, dear." She teased him.

Smiling at her, he released the buckles that held his half cape that came off with the leather belt around his hips, throwing both items top of her dress, his fingers slowly unbuttoning his regal tunic down to the last button revealing a single grey shirt underneath. Star couldn't help herself but to let her hands wander around his torso, liking how much her touch never failed to make him tremble for her, slipping her hands into it and racking her nails down his chest. This time he couldn't help to let out a growl of pure burning passion that coursed through him just as one of her hands slowly traced down his abs all the way to the golden button of his pants, pulling down the zipper down with some difficulty from his protruding bulge. This time she didn't hear a single word of hesitation from her beloved as she slipped her hands into the elastic band of his underwear, uncovering his thick member that ached for her touch.

She looked at his eyes for any sense of indecision but finding none. Like him, she enjoyed the physical touch as any couple, with everything they've shared, even willing to die together in each other arms multiple times, there wasn't any hesitation from neither of them as they easily got physical with each other rather quick. They knew what they wanted and when they wanted it. It was a comforting feeling that she wanted him as he wanted her, body, mind and soul, it felt natural and she wasn't ashamed to connect with the love of her life.

Star's hand slowly enveloped him in a firm grip that made the young man to gasp at her hot touch, his knees almost buckling at the sheer peak of pleasure coming from downstairs. Smirking devilishly, she pumped him, biting her lips, her eyes burning with excitement as the hot rod of steel got hotter and wetter by the passing second, she especially enjoyed at running her thumb at the tip of his dick, drowning her digit in his man juices. It was the first time that she could look at it intently, she traced her fingers on the veins of his shaft, exploring it with her fingers as her thumb traced the thick flesh cord underneath it, loving the texture of Marco Jr. She licked her lips unintentionally as a droplet of his precum stained down her thumb.

"You're so hard." She couldn't help but comment on, locking eyes with his rod of hot steel that ached with her touch.

"Thank…you for Ughhhh!" He squeezed his eyes shut. "Pointing out the obvious."

Laughing to herself, her throat constricted when his hands started to explore her neither regions with one, two curving fingers rolling around the spot between the fork of her legs while the other exploring her breasts. Their eyes burned with intensity for each other.

It just didn't seem enough; Star didn't think that she would even stop even if there was an invading force at her doorstep. His fingers rolled from her breast down to her back, teasing her wings with two fingers, loving how she hissed sharply before undoing the clasp behind her bra, letting the garment to fall down her hips, enjoying the sight of her pale breasts, her nipples standing hard and already at attention. Slowly her head lowered down his stomach, suckling and lapping at the skin as he did everything possible not to fall to the floor right there. She paid special attention to his firm stomach, kissing his sun kissed skin, her fingers exploring the defined mark of his growing abs. Biting her lips she said nothing as her head dipped further and further down until she was close enough to his dick, blowing a guff of air on it, earning another shudder from her Prince.

Without giving him an ounce of warning, she latched her lips around his shaft and guided it down her mouth, suckling with an eagerness that Marco felt in his veins, liquefying to hot magma. He was paralyzed for the first seconds, with his hands clutching at her breasts making the young Mewman to hiss in pleasure, liking how he was man handling her. In a few strokes of her tongue, she left his dick polished like a bed post, with droplets of her saliva leaving the torturous feeling of a hot and cold feeling that immediately reheated once her tongue left the area. She suckled on another droplet of his precum, groaning at how he tasted, it was like how a real man should taste like. Unconsciously her eyes were drawn to the meaty sack beneath his hot rod of steel, tracing the skin with her fingers, marveling at the rough but soft texture. She whiffed at his penis, immediately attracted to the manly aroma that was protruding from him, her mind was getting completely high of his Marco-aroma. She released his cock with a wet pop, pumping him a few times as her tongue lapped the empty air, panting in heat.

It was such an erotic sight that something came over him, something possessive that he couldn't explain. Marco was always a person raddled with insecurities that limited his growth for most of his life. It took only her and only her to bring him out of his shell. For how long he had stayed in the shadow of time? Letting life pass on without an ounce of change in his life. Yet now, he grasped the reigns of his destiny and destiny was calling for him to push Star on bed in a single motion earning a surprised gasp from his Princess, fully straddling her with his cock standing proudly over her stomach panting without no control of his body functions. His eyes were shifting from emotions that Star could strangely feel, turning her mind to mush from the rapid shift of love and lust that was wrapping him from within.

But that feeling disappeared when in a single move of his hands, he flipped her over on her stomach, separating her legs, straddling her from behind. She felt his hands parting and playing with her butt earning him a surprised and aroused gasp. There was something about him when he touched her that made her mad and the feeling of Marco doing it to her drove her submissive to him and whatever he wanted to do to her, she would deliver and her trust in him never wavered. Yet the rapid but soft touch of her back left her disappointed that the pleasure that she was expecting didn't immediately came. He stood there around her back, with his fingers tracing from her buttocks to her lower back before lying more of his body on top of her, pressing butterfly soft kisses on her back.

She sighed, enjoying the delicate touch and the control he was rehearsing around each other, crushing the brief disappointment under his magical touch. Star was a very impulsive person and often she didn't liked to beat around the bush but easily Marco showing his love for her by being delicate was an even bigger turn on rather than rushing like a warrior across the battlefield, yet she didn't expect that his fingers would go around to her wings, giving her a squeeze. Star mewled, closing her eyes not being able to avoid a sharp intake of breath through her clenched teeth.

"Marco…ahgh…mmmmm." She couldn't help herself; he knew where to touch and how to make her burn hotter. She looked over her shoulder as his hands traced her fluttering wings, kissing around the area like if he was enjoying flickering on his face. Yet when his lips got closer to them, she was about to question his motives when his tongue extended and lapped her left wing, suckling one of the tips into his mouth and suckling.

Sharp and intense pleasure made her light heated, growling into his pillow, shuddering at each lick of his tongue, enjoying how his other hand went to touch her soaked lower lips, dipping between them, probing the texture of her pink quivering flesh. She was going insane from pleasure, panting and grunting into his pillow leaving it soaked with her saliva. To feel both of her most sensitives areas pleasured at the same time was a feeling that could only be described as pure unaltered pleasure out of this universe. His tender fingers pierced her opening easily with a wet suckling sound just as her body shuddered again and again with his tongue extending to her right wing as it stopped moving, letting it be suckled.

He didn't show any disgust about something that was no human, he only knew that it gave his lifeline pleasure and pleasure he would deliver. They tasted strangely just as her, getting hotter and hotter like any part of her skin, they didn't feel delicate but like suckling on a thick piece of candy and that drove him to capture as much as he could into his mouth and suckling greedily.

"Marco!" Her mouth parted from the pillow, trembling without any control of her body.

"Shhhhh! Star, they will hear us." He hissed, stopping his ministrations to scold her.

She growled, in annoyance. "Keep doing that to me and I'll scream! I don't give a fuck if the entire kingdom hears me" She hissed, almost biting his palm skin off as he covered her mouth with his own hand.

Tired of his teasing and ordering her around, in a second, she used her Mewman strength to trap his torso between her legs, gyrating him around down on the bed. Her hands immediately captured his hands, pinning it to the bed before he could ever question her, growling into his face, her blue eyes shining with a possessiveness that would down right scare for anyone else, but not him. He was just a little tad disappointed that he didn't got to explore more what every of his touches did to her body.

Sexily, she laid her breasts into his face, caressing her bosoms around his face as her buttcheeks trapped his erection between them and pumped his shaft up and down. Growling, he couldn't help but to lean up to kiss her but she parted her head at the last second, leaving him pouting in disappointment. She laughed at his expression, lifting an eyebrow in a challenge.

Is this what it felt to lose control of him? The feeling of something that you really wanted staring you next to you was pure insanity and it seemed like she knew about it because her grin got wilder. Within reason, he knew that he was more than strong enough to take her down, he had felt stronger since he came down from the expired realm of magic. Tom was completely right, he flipped a horse and yet, he laid there, letting her handle him. It drove him wild at being equally dominated and guided by someone like Star and with that motion in hand, he surrendered to her ministrations, letting her dig her buttcheeks on his shaft, pumping him as her nails left a trail down his chest making him growl, if only it made her hotter and wetter. She was literally making a wet park in his lap by how fast she was rubbing around his dick, her opening was already flushed and pink and he couldn't help but to stare as her face shifted to a lustful pink, finding her mouth panting like a dog in heat strangely arousing.

Finally it seemed that she teased herself more than him, because she immediately stopped bouncing on his dick, instead stopping and squatting her hips up so she could crawl her delicious looking opening down on his shaft. They both growled loudly, electricity running their bodies, her pussy lips couldn't be any more hotter for him and with that motion, she slowly started sinking down on his length, gasping as every inch filled her to the brim, her hands letting go of his to laid on his chest, squeezing and bruising his skin for how much she was struggling to do the deed.

His hand immediately caressed her breasts as her torso got closer so he could play with her body just like she liked it and it made the job easier until he was completely sunk into her wet folds. They laid there enjoying the sensation of their union with both lovers immediately caressing tongues in a battle of possessiveness that drove Star to start getting ways to make him do as much sounds as he could, like a toy voice box activated cord, her hips started doing circles with his dick trapped deep inside of her. Marco's lips separated from hers to hiss loudly just as she started picking a rhythm that she enjoyed immensely, finding the second time way easier. Closing her eyes with his lips caressing her heartless cheeks, he suckled on her neck just as she let out an excited gasp with his hips started to move with hers in a natural pace of a hot in and out, like a well trained orchestra. She collapsed on his chest, literally smashing her breasts on his face and he didn't wait a second before he was lapping at her excited flesh just as dick penetrated her faster and faster.

The pleasure created for both was unimaginable but it felt just as good for them, wishing they had been doing this way before. She arched her body as close as she could to him, the room was spinning, making her madder and madder with his love, burying her head over his shoulder until nothing but her beautiful long golden locks covered most of his face but he doesn't stop to voice his complains but keeps going, feeling hot fuel liquefying his veins, feeling his body almost at his limit.

It was as she felt the changes of his body as suddenly, her upper half lifted from his own, joining the hot in and out of their bodies faster, harder, desperately seeking that comfort that only their union could bring them. His hands clench her hips painfully, slamming into her as both grunt and growl without shame, the meaty slap of skin and their growls is the only thing that Star can hear, her ears listening to the music of their sweet love making and that was it.

She felt as her breath leaving her in a breathless wheeze that left her drunk for air as her mouth opened wide and she screamed deeply, her walls collapsing against his thick member. Marco stood there for a second, feeling his body giving out exploding into her insides, giving her every droplet that he could muster growling at the sea of dizziness that possessed his vision and just like that, his brain disconnected from his brain before activating with a last shot of his seed into her body. They both collapsed under each other arms, panting, covered in other's sweat and other bodily fluids. They remained joined at the hip, even as his member slid off her. Marco laid there, caressing her golden locks as her face sunk on his chest with a relaxed sigh.

"I love you my papi." Her blue eyes glowed with love for him and he in turn caressed her cheeks.

"Me too mi princesa."

They smiled at each other, enjoying their afterglow with a relaxed sigh. It didn't matter for how long Star laid in Marco's arms, she felt that it was the only place where she truly belonged, like a home to return to. There was no place that she rather be than the sweet and welcoming arms of her sweet Prince.

Yet something didn't feel right…it was too early to sleep, even if it was the warm body of Marco. Something called for her, something that she hadn't done in a very long time. Without magic, mostly nothing drained her physically, her blood started pumping again for something else, perhaps it was the Johansen genes running through her or the fact that she had kicked ass for most of her life.

"Marco." She called for him, lifting her head to look at him

"Hmmm?" He answered in confusion, barely keeping his eyes open at this point.

"You know…it's been a while since we had a good scrap."

"Uh…like fighting and stuff?"

She nodded. "It's been a while since I busted someone nose off." She looked at her own hands, squeezing them until her knuckles were white. "I want to fight."

He cringed. "Aren't you like trying to fix the tensions between Mewman and Monster? I don't think that this will help the case with the Earth either."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh my little Pandawang, you lack insight."

"It's Padawan Star."

She ignored him. "How about we stir our warrior bones in the Knight training grounds? My sword against sword, mmmm? Mmmm?" She lifted his eyebrows, biting her lips in anticipation at an answer.

It was like an energy had injected itself into his bloodstream and really, when was the last time he really sparred? It seemed like yesterday when he was knighted and completed his training, dealing with the fiasco of the other knights and the idiocy led by Higgs and Sir Stabby, easily wiping the floor with them. Something called to trying out his sword arm…by the way she was smiling and literally jumping in excitement she approved the motion.

Marco already sparred that time against herself and magic to a complete stalemate…but against a sword? It called for him and just like that, he smiled widely with Star suddenly squealing and hugging him so hard that he almost fell off the bed, laughing at her enthusiasm.

"Get ready for an ass whoopin' Diaz!"

"Ha! The only thing that'll get whooped is your puny sword arm."

Both growled at each other, immediately separating and rushing to get dressed, competitive smiles in their faces. He enjoyed her complete enthusiasm at reaching into his closet for clothes to wear, a judgmental look on her face, settling for a smaller set of a t-shirt and the remains of one of a few of her outfits that she had stored in his closet for those times where they fell asleep together when they were still clueless about their relationship.

Marco for his part dressed as always in his classic red hoodie, black pants and tennis shoes.

Together and ready to face against each other, they fist pumped with a smirk, exiting to the hallway and rushing towards the Knight grounds with a spring in their step.

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As the young couple rushed towards a new type of activity, another different type of meeting was taking place in the Monster Temple library.

Queen Moon sat in front of an assorted type of characters from many parts of the world as many sipped the beverages provided for them. King River was missing yet in his wake, the two USA politicians sat at the end of the table with eight of Mewni's elite Royal Elite covered the entrances of the room. The closer individual to Moon was a hybrid creature from a distant region. The male creature was reptilian in kind, with spikes growing out of his face and hands giving him the appearance of a humanoid starfish with two large membranes over his eyebrows and two large appendages growing off his cheeks. His clothes consisted in a simple loose white tunic, black pants that seemed to belong to a sailor, completing the look with rugged black boots and while not descent enough to Moon standards, she was not going to reject his chance to parlay due his appealing state of clothing.

Other creatures of many difference races and odd physical traits were at the meeting with poor Archibald flying there, looking at each guess and how to properly attend them. By the way some had growled at him to piss off, they were not in friendly terms with the monsters and that already was fraying her thin nerves as it was with everything that happened mere hours into the day. Sighing internally, just she had always done, she respectfully bowed her head towards and every individual, throwing her most welcoming smile.

"Thank you for your patience…Now…let us begin."

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**A/N: **Thank you guys for your feedback and your kind words. It means the world to me. Please leave a comment! I would love to read what you guys think and how can I improve.

D4rk


	10. Cuts

**A/N: **I hope everyone had a good week, here's the new chapter. Enjoy!

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 10**

Cuts.

Moon tapped her fingers together, eyeing the multiple people that sat in the library. Currently three groups from three different nations and territories that had dropped un-announced were meeting with her; another headache treated to burst into her skull from the single thought of how many more would be arriving at her doorstep to discuss terms?

The very first group to talk were an oddity to be certain, sailor clothing with hard skin like a sea creature and spikes that grew off their exposed skin. The humanoid figure in front of her stopped speaking. His voice, if it even could be assumed that it was a male, screeching like nails through a board; he protested a good while about the incursion of the disturbance of their territory, right outside Mewni and its oceans, completely combined with the Earth about boats surging their waters and spoke about retaliation if the boats didn't stop navigating their waters. She lifted her eyebrow at his unrealistic demands.

The surface could not be commanded, that was a given. Certainly, in Mewni at least, the ocean did not belong to anybody unless you had cities underneath it. Bodies of water were ever moving…one could not assume that they could hold it like land could, except if they were inside its waters, just like the Water Folk.

"Forgive me for intruding, but that is something that you cannot demand of us…the surface of the oceans belong to no one. While vast and while we do hold a treaty with the Water Folk Kingdom since they do have submerged cities, perhaps that you should speak to them about how the situation could be resolved."

The strange spiked humanoid hissed through the gills on his neck, just as his other companions did. "They're our enemies, you're the Queen. You can do something about it." He crossed his massive arms across his chest as Queen pondered about his situation. They held a significant sizable floating island made of strange materials that managed to stay afloat, connected with other structures. Basically, they were a territory with a war chief that commanded floating cities that were interconnected to each other. They had come from another dimension, where they had been exiled a long time ago for reasons that Moon did not know and found themselves floating just outside their borders. They had fought many, many years against the Water Folk for the control of the waters in Mewni and lost, forced to another unknown dimension and now they were back to their ancestral dimension.

Sighing to herself, she turned to the Governor. "Could we please set up a blockade of vessels off their territory? Certainly, we can keep them off our boundaries."

The man nodded, recording the request in his tablet. "We'll see what we can do about it soon enough."

Queen Moon rolled his answer in her tongue just as the humanoid figure did as well.

"Do we have an accord?"

"What can your people offer us in exchange for our labor to keep your territory 'afloat'?" The Queen countered. The humanoid hissed again irritating the Queen.

"How dare you demand something of us? We didn't ask to be in your doorstep."

"Neither did I…but here we are." She glared at him, meaning business. The other two spiked creatures now growled openly at her, finally standing up. The Royal Guards tensed up, half way drawing their swords. Their scowls meant nothing to her, facing them without an inch of fear in her system. Seeing her confidence standing strong, the spiked humanoids snarled at her, turning to the exit.

"You will hear from us very soon. You will regret this." He told her to which the Queen smiled, mostly amused more than intimidated.

"Oh I am very sure…though the next time you come into my home with insults…you better bring an army" She told them, looking at them until they went off the room, leaving her with the rest of the representatives. Nodding at the Governor, she intertwined her hands together.

"Mark them as hostile Mr. Bisignano…if they do make a move, would you deal with them?" She whispered to him.

"Absolutely." The man nodded. "We take care of our allies…" The last word was said in a foreshadowing manner and while Moon didn't change her expression in the slightest, she could already wonder the other expensive dealings that were to come for the Kingdom of Mewni…rebuilding their military needed to be done as soon as possible to protect their sovereignty was of utmost importance without depending on their allies.

Nodding at the second group, she took into their appearance. Two wooly creatures nodded at her back, respectfully giving her the full attention that she deserved. White fur covered their bodies with bulged upper chests in the male one, equally muscled limbs with their faces in the appearance of a simian with long lower canines protruding upwards almost to the tip of their flat noses. Their eyes were a glowing yellow, yet they were not terrifying to look at. If only, they looked like a gentle race, the face was soft skinned with a reddish-brown tinted skin with a subtlety and appeasing expression of calm and respect. The male one was dressed in long traditional blue robes that covered to halfway of his legs with its feet ending in naked thick appendages with two claws, their hands possessed an oddity of two opposite thumbs with four fingers ending in claws.

The female looking one was dressed in black and blue robes that hugged her more defined and curvy form, yet she was also of a thick build with thinner limbs and a smaller head than her male counterpart. Her head had longer fur acting as hair of a different color ending in a braid that was covered from the top of her head by a hat.

"From the people of the Malayangs, we are grateful to be in your presence." The female bowed her head respectfully. "Thank you for accepting our request to talk to you."

"No, you have my thanks. It shows character when we talk rather than face uncertainty with threats and insults." Queen Moon face broke into a small smile.

"Indeed, my name is Koniagh Vargkiel and this is my partner, Razhak Zybum. We belong to a modest city…yet we found ourselves in this world, away from our dimension. Our ways of communicating or traveling do not longer work and we cannot contact the Pixtopians." She frowned slightly. "We appeared here just a few days ago and we're not sure how to take of this world. We've traveled a great distance for the greatest power and we've heard about you, we come for answers and offer you peace and unity between our people."

"You may have it. As for explanation?" She sighed. "The magic that governed our universe has been destroyed, nothing magic related will work…from spells, charms to communication, it is all destroyed, thus we found ourselves in this predicament."

The Malayangs frowned at each other. "Then our way of life is certainly threatened…we have lost our ways to trade. I fear for my people."

"You have nothing to fear here. I will reward your civility with kindness and a way to provide for your people. In return, we must speak terms about what can your land offer us."

The humanoids hummed, appreciating their words. By the way they tensed, the Queen read them like a fiddle.

"This is not an attempt to gain any of your past territories, but to protect your sovereignty I must be informed of your holdings, your trade and ways of life so we can further up our relationship and thus, I can deal with your situation the best I could." Seeing that they seemed skeptical of her offering, she opened her hands. "I can send some of my emissaries in this mission of peace. I can provide protection and supplies until we can reach an accord. If I am satisfied of your word, then I will offer you an alliance of trade and even extend my protection towards your people as many of the Kingdoms unified under the Mewni banner."

The woolly humanoids finally smiled at her words. "We will humble accept your offer and we do not blame you for wanting to seek proof of our claims. You are most wise Queen Moon."

A deep gurgle came from the female as she covered her mouth with some embarrassment.

Laughing to herself, the Queen smiled in her direction. "If you seek nourishment, please be sure to visit my husband King River. He is currently handing out food in town. Grilled and smoked meats, serve yourselves a drink, it is the minimum that I can do to thank your diplomacy with some of Mewman hospitality."

"Uh…we're vegetarians." The male one finally spoke, looking aside without any confidence.

Queen Moon smiled. "Then be sure to look for Globgor, a fine member of my court. He's also a vegetarian…red fur with striped marks on his limbs. If you need accommodations for your stay, you're welcome to stay here while we sort the start of our treaties." Moon offered politely.

"We will humbly accept your offer; may the hand of fate move our hearts towards peace." Both took their leave bowing respectfully at her, even with a smile. Pleased with herself, she turned to the final group.

Smiling at the next humanoid she smiled deeply. He was a regal person dressed with earth colored robes from fine silk. His head was of a longed cranium and hardened bone protrusions beneath his skin that were covered by silver and single but elegant hair braid while the female humanoid was dressed the same as him with the difference of longer hair that flowed like a waterfall. The humanoids bowed politely to the Queen, who bowed back.

"Greetings." The male voice had a soft timber that was pleasant to the ear and was polite to boot, giving her a small smile in response. "My name is Katarsh Bokang, Representative of the island nations of Vulpesh."

"And I am Lonjana Grecol, his wife." The female one presented herself.

The male humanoid nodded at his wife. "Like my past representatives, we came in this world as well. We traveled far into your main land to request explanations as to why we found ourselves in this mess. I will no long express my concerns if we're allowed to parlay what we came here all the way."

The Queen hummed, strangely confused about their intentions. "I am all ears." She offered in an attempt to dislodge her doubts.

"Queen Moon, we're here for help, just as you helped us in the past." The representative leaned back into his own seat just as Moon lifted an eyebrow with her expression darkening into uncertainty.

"My apologies but in all my years of dealing with this kingdom I have never heard of your race or your lands."

"We have dealt with Mewmans before, a long time ago." His words furthered her confusion. "In fact, your ancestor Queen Skywynne Butterfly came during her travels and saved our dimension and placed us in another one after a comet threatened the destruction of our world. We're descendants of one good action of your people, so we're in fact knowledgeable of Mewmans in our culture."

"Fascinating." Smiled Moon.

The emissaries did not smile back. "We came for aid once more…Our people for a while has been going missing, disappearing without a trace, like wind." He sighed. "I would like to pay kindness with more kindness. We possess wealth, precious metals and a vast industrial knowledge spawning for many years, developed by our ingenuity alone. We have no way to protect our way of life while we are in the distress of the quandary of once more moving to another world. Our people are in distress, in turmoil after this…and with the recent disappearing of citizens without a trace threatens the balance of our lands. We ask for your help."

Queen Moon sighed. "I am afraid that I must have to decline your offering…we're stretched thin as it is."

The female humanoid blinked in surprise. "Queen Skywynne spoke about the wonders of Mewni and the strength of your kingdom. Is that not the case?"

"We went through a massive battle just a few days ago…we're rebuilding and burying our dead. We're willing to offer our assistance through other means, but we do not have the man power to resolve your issue without putting our own stability at risk."

"Certainly, we can find some other means to convince you of what we can offer to you and your people for just a small task. Perhaps, as a way to solidify your political influence to your own people." Lonjana lifted an eyebrow.

At that Queen Moon frowned, not liking his tone. "I beg your pardon?"

"We were in your meeting." The male humanoid leaned back with the shadow of a smirk "It is obvious that like us, you're suffering the very same separation between your own kingdoms and your people. I do not need to know your custom to see that you are divided between your nobility and your citizens…as your daughter Princess Star demonstrated, you're suffering from a lack of harmony in your Kingdom. The very notion of the discussions that broke out show us enough evidence to confirm this, it is why you as Queen are currently trying to mediate through these negotiations, to bring back your balance to your Kingdom…then perhaps this can be a demonstration of how Mewni is willing to go forth to preserve its peace and its unity, extending to your new subjects to seek a new beginning, just like this new world."

Queen Moon frowned again, not liking his inclinations, right as he was, she didn't immediately like how he was trying to put her against the wall. Her frustrations even at her first day was already running thin. Other than her own family annoying her, she could sympathize with whoever told her that her people were insufferable and far too gullible in the matters of the innerworkings of the kingdom. While she managed its finances and its different treaties that were just taking shape and form, it was completely true that they were already burning a significant enough of their interests in seeking better education, the rebuilding costs and reshaping their army. Then again, it was a better political move to show leniency towards her allies in the effort to solidify the name Butterfly once more and lessen the stigma of the violent changes that Mewmans had suffered in less than a year.

"If it's not an army, then perhaps to solidify the acceptance of that Prince of yours for your daughter…to show his commitment towards Mewni, along with the Princess as a reach of your arm"

Moon scoffed. "That is far beyond of your boundaries here to ask such demands from me."

The Governor cleared his throat, leaning to whisper to her. "They do have a point…I was informed of some of the changes by your second hand, Eclipsa…it would be a good idea for the Butterfly family to lend a hand into foreign matters. It will show a pledge towards your subjects and as a fair ruler that is willing to help others. It could also be used to sway our country to help you in the current future. We may also provide some troops of our own for this task, as a foreign aid towards you"

Queen Moon's eyes widened, blinking in surprise. What was his interest in her success?

"We understand your situation so we can wait here if it pleases you, for an answer." The emissary added.

She sighed. "So, let me understand. You want me to send some of my men, along with my daughter and her Prince towards a land to find out about your missing citizens, find them and then you would ally yourselves to us?"

"That summarizes everything perfectly." He responded.

By now everyone was waiting for an answer from the silver haired Mewman who was struggling with herself. Was she about to embark Star and Marco in a goose chase to seek out strangers in a nation that she wasn't even sure it could even exist just for coin and foreign influence? The answer would've been a complete NO one year ago but now with the pressure mounting in Mewni, it was indeed impossible to deny that it was rising up, even with the announcement of the wedding plans of her daughter and that young man, the turmoil would not end so easily. Even if her current allies were reassured of their positions as they just established in the meeting, it didn't mean that the pressure would lessen.

A minute later, she finally turned to them.

"I accept…but only with the condition that they both accept this journey and you give us time to prepare a small task force. What say you?"

The Vulpeshings grinned at her, bowing their heads slightly.

"We will wait…we're indebted to you Queen Moon, may Mewni succeed in this noble endeavor."

Moon barely turned towards the big-headed humanoid wondering if she just mixed them in something that would spell trouble for them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Knight grounds were completely deserted by the time that Marco and Star got to the barracks that held the garrison. Marco found two wood training swords in the vast armory, holding one for her to try out. The Princess appreciated the training blade with an expert eye, rotating the training sword between her finger and trying its weight as Marco observed her with his own sword toppled on his left shoulder. Star started to swing and parry against an invisible enemy, her moves were precise, delicate and deadly as if she was remembering a sword which she had danced to a very long time ago. When was the last time she practiced her form? The more she swung through the air, the more she remembered her lessons with the Royal Knights.

_You must watch your stance. _The voice of her trainer, Sir Scarsguard told her from the side lines, showing her his stance. _This is a basic stance called full iron gate…observe me young Butterfly. _He placed his muscled leg to his left with the right extended and bend, ready to move and jump at a moment notice with the sword held diagonally with the tip pointing to the floor. _It will allow you to quickly react, let em' come through your gate and tear without mercy!_

Star copied him; a serious expression compared to her personality. _Now attack me!_

The Princess sighed remembering her mentor before he went senile with age and lost his abilities from that terrible disease. What a waste it had been, such a fine and honorable warrior reduced to the empty shell of a man that she no longer recognized, yet his legacy remained the more she swung the practice sword, remembering her lessons. She ended up with a perfect lunge that had been practiced thousands of times, perfectly standing with the sword held in the air before she disengaged, placing the sword on her shoulder and smiling at Marco who smiled back, pride glowing in his eyes.

"Ready to have your butt kicked pretty boy?" She taunted.

Marco just limited himself to smirk at her as he walked outside the room with Star following him outside the knight grounds, inside of a circle marked off by painted rocks. Marco sighed as the memories slammed into him of the grueling months of training in this very same sand that were matted by sweat, blood and tears.

"The rules are simple Star. Contact with the tip or edge, you score a point. No hits to the face, groin area or grapples are allowed. You must use your sword and your sword alone to win, do you understand?"

She scoffed. "Rules? I was trained to defend myself and to kill Marco. There are no rules in battle, nobody is going to fight with honor or that crap. The Knight chivalry stuff only works in duels"

He blinked. "Star we want to spar remember? We are not fighting for real."

She smirked widely. "Because I'll defeat you easily?"

It was his time to smirk. "Easily?" He laughed softly in a classic 'from the roof' stance with his sword raised at a 45 degrees angle leveled with his shoulders. "It is you who will taste defeat." He told her with that old oriental voice from his Kung Fu films that had her in a riot already. Quieting down she stared down at her opponent.

Both stood still with the wind blowing out softly in their faces, not wavering or making a single move. They were observing each other, looking at their stances, at how their limbs contracted and relaxed as they breathed, looking for any openings. On top of the Monster Temple their friends observed them with shock finally finding them after looking everywhere for them.

"What the hell are they doing?" Ponyhead snarled. "This girl! She got lost for hours so she could just play crossing swords with Prince Turd now?"

Janna snickered at that comment as Tom lifted an eyebrow, shuddering at he understood, looking aside. The rogue fist bumped his shoulder with an amused grin.

"Hey." Kelly protested. "Don't you see they're sparring?" She rolled her eyes at the idiocy of the flying head.

Tom and Janna just limited themselves to observed them staying still, not making a single move towards one another, feeling the air getting tense with the fighters below them.

Star got impulsive enough to make the first attack, lunging at her opponent, aiming at his left shoulder. Quickly Marco side stepped and let her attack follow on through before countering with his own slashing at her throat. Only her quick reflexes allowed her to parry the attack by smashing the sword to the side and using both hands to swing vertically at his head with a perfect riposte. Marco grunted, disengaging, bouncing to his rear foot to launch himself at her with a cry, lunging his sword at her chest, unfortunately Star did not got him enough space to correctly apply the maneuver and his sword only found air as the Princess seemed to blink off existence, crouching extremely low to the ground in a move so fast that Marco gasped the moment she came back up, with her own sword tip swinging upwards towards his exposed neck as his attack followed through.

The Prince grunted and in a move, that equally impressed Star herself, he stabbed downwards, using his sword guard to push her sword at an odd angle making her miss her target entirely as he disengaged and jumped aside, holding his stance once more, breathing nice and easy to get the blood pumping into his lungs, invigorated with energy at how much fun he was having.

Star was equally having fun, smirking as she got into her own stance. "Almost got you there."

He only laughed in response.

From the top their friends observed with Kelly humming in appreciation at the skill of both opponents, a faint blush spreading across the Woolet warrior cheeks.

This time it was Marco who attacked first in a powerful jump cutting the distance between them in a second, swinging to the right side at her ribs. Star reacted by quickly by switching to her left foot, parrying his blade with a deep crack of wood, following on through by bending her sword around his and attacking behind his neck with a well-executed riposte. Marco smirked just as he feinted a block and just as her sword was about to connect, he thrusted his sword at her chest from a very low angle. Snarling the Princess was to quickly disengage into her own attack, defending herself by using the sword guard and then grabbing her blade close to the tip and the other around the hilt and using it to guide it into a stab to his stomach, never expecting that the sun kissed young man jumped from her attack and swung left at the same time he moved.

Only her experience saved her from being hit by holding the blade parallel to her body and jumping left with a satisfied smirk on both of their faces.

"Almost got you there." Now Marco mocked her as she giggled between breaths.

Star licked her lips getting more and more into the fight, swapping to his own stance, over the roof, her knees erratically tilting up and down, more than ready for him. Snarling with the ferocity of her war cry that vibrated the same air, she attacked from the top, slashing downwards, using her aggression as both a fear tactic and a tool to kill his concentration, he pursed his lips at her assault, defending and blocking her seemingly wild swings that connected against his own weapon blocking left, right, down, up at an odd angles that took the seasoned swordsman a fraction of a second more to see coming and he knew exactly what she was planning. The hits were not wildly executed but planned, she was goading his defense to see how he could react at each and one of them to measure his technique, clever girl. He remained calm dodging and observing her movements quickly figuring it out that she required a certain stance to provide her enough range for an attack. For all she knew, she underestimated the range of a long sword, a measure that he quickly eliminated by suddenly busting into her own defense with her sword still in mid-swing, rushing towards Star with his sword hilt pressed around his hip and stabbing at her chest. The move was so surprising that she couldn't help but to freeze mentally as his sword connected with her stomach.

The Princess blinked from the soft but firm pressure against her body, watching the sword to retract from her smiling at her fiancée. "Dead' He smirked at her.

"Don't your get panties in a twist, this is just a warm up." She laughed.

"Oh I am sure." Marco replied driving his body to an ox stance by holding the hilt parallel to his head bend at shoulder level with his other hand holding the hilt solidly, pointing it straight at her. She smirked at the intimidation factor that he was displaying, she especially loved how calm and relaxed he looked when he fought compared to her own unpredictable and savage style just like a Johansen who thrilled for the killing of their enemy rather than the finesse of a blade, they were indeed polar opposites.

Once more Marco attacked, bouncing with the leg behind him but compared to other stances where he was poised for thrusting, he instead drove the sword to the left side as she parried and just tilted the sword vertically around her own guard, close enough to clip her shoulder as his swing drove downwards, she exaggerated her own block and when he lunged upwards he immediately realized his mistake. Smirking as her feint registered in his mind, he tried to disengage but she was right there with him, dropping her sword at stomach level and thrusting at his exposed arm which he failed to stop in time.

"Boop!" She cried out with a small cheer.

From the railing the group stood there at the display below them.

"Damn, Marco got moves." Janna hummed in appreciation. "Star isn't far behind."

"They're warriors." Kelly was to quickly to add, turning her face away.

"Girl…you look a little red in there." Ponyhead scrunched her eyebrows before they shot up in surprise. "ARE YOU BLUSHING?!"

The Woolet warrior stammered a response as Tom and Janna laughed at her.

"You still got the hots for karate boy there?" The Princess of Cloud Kingdom laughed. Sighing the long haired Woolet couldn't do anything to save her own skin, taking their teasing with stride, hating to display her own emotions so rapidly! It was impossible to look away as Marco growled, swinging at Star who smirked, meeting her sword with him so fast that the Woolet girl had trouble to follow like two forces of nature clashing.

They both had different styles, opposites driven skill at their own level. Marco, she trained with him after his funk and he held her own, even against someone like their librarians…the only one who had show his emotions and won to tell the tale and Star while more versatile in using her now defund magic was a warrior with a force to be reckoned with through the Mewman warrior blood that ran through her veins with a ferocity that she couldn't help but to admire from afar.

Marco feinted a block against her low swipe, jumping to his left with a follow up cut to the hip that she managed to stop in time to evade and counter cut to his arm and in turn he couldn't avoid the instinctive long wide cut as a deterrent with more than he anticipated, leaving his sides exposed to Star thrust against his exposed hips, connecting.

"Star the daughter of Mewni 2! Marco…1." She giggled at his sour expression, once more falling down in her iron gate stance, breathing nice in and out with an excitement that had her bouncing on her feet once more, smirking and welcoming a challenge, which he provided attacking again with a thrust at her exposed legs as she turned to evade, almost scoring a hit at her chins, she brought her sword up, with the edge around his sword guard and pulled upwards, disarming him in a single swipe. The sword clattered to the ground; Star celebrated by bringing up the tip of her practice sword aimed at him with a predatory glint in her eyes.

"Score!"

Marco laughed. "So?" He fell into a combat posse. "There's no point if you don't hit me."

"You got no sword Marco." She pointed out, pursing her lips in confusion.

"That hasn't stopped me before." He said menacingly and that tone immediately sent shivers down her spine, losing focus as her neither regions got hot. _Your head in the game girl! _She admonished herself just as Marco made his move. He rushed her with a burst of speed that had the Princess to swing at his stomach, which should've been a very easy hit giving the fact that he had no weapon but at the last second, he rolled under her swing, reaching his sword and dropping to the ground, rolling away from the thrust of Star's blade, doing a hand stand with his sword still on the ground with a cart wheel and took it just as he fell back on the ball of his feet and taking another _from above stance_, breathing slightly just as Star threw him a kiss.

"I gotta give it to cutie pie, you know your stuff." She complimented him.

Always the humble person, Marco chuckled. "Thanks…when you spend sixteen years trapped in a dimension but nothing but your wits to win, you get to pick up a thing or two."

She laughed following up with a war cry with the weapon hold over her head attacking at his shoulder with a thrust. He stopped her thrust with a cut to her elbow which she evaded and counter cut at his chest, grabbing her own blade with both hands, thrusting at his stomach. The impacts that reverberated the air even made Tom to jump in surprise at the ferocity of their attacks intensified, locking blades and smirking at each other.

"What…is going on here?" The voice of Moon made everyone to turn around fast in surprise. They've been so focused in the fight that neither had pay attention as the Queen literally walked behind them, with two beings with longed heads and two humans in suits that neither recognized.

How could a person with such a massive dress could sneak easily on her, time and time again? Janna mused as she lifted an eyebrow at Star's mother.

At the lack of an explanation, the Queen tilted her head as she observed her daughter and Marco fighting in the Royal Knights ground. "What are they fighting?" She frowned as Star swung right which Marco took a step back, countering the attack with a stab at her stomach, scoring a hit earning him a scowl of annoyance coming from the Princess who was now fuming openly. Something made Tom to frown in concentration observing Starship, his thoughts came to a halt as a very familiar hum of power echoed through his mind looking once more at the very familiar red glow that seemed to pour from inside, covering her frame just as her eyes glowed blue, her heart cheeks marking her skin, exploding on her cheeks and when she snarled, her voice seemed to vibrate everything in her path.

"You're beginning to arouse my ire." She hissed.

Moon watched the interaction with an explosion of confusion paralyzed in the spot just as the Governor and the Vulpesh representatives stared in awe and the unnerving feeling of her power busted their subconscious but something else happened that made someone like Tom to stare astonishingly at Marco. His face turned stony, never wavering at the power that she was generating, his skin vibrating and hissing with a wave of heat that emanated from him, a faint but noticeable blue glow outlined his body just as his cheek marks glowed on his skin.

They swung at each other with a war cry, seething with rage, swinging left and right, parrying, riposting, evading, block and counter cutting to no veil. Their moves were almost too fast to be read by the naked eye, exploding with an energy that hummed the very air they rushed through with the snap of the practice swords echoing. Queen Moon stood there agape not understanding what she was seeing.

Star swung her sword left with the passion of a burning suns, sending Marco feet to roll off the earth leaving a trail just he jumped to meet Star again in a move that seemed inhuman, swinging down still in midair. The Princess expression was savage and eager for combat, parrying his swing and counter cutting upwards as Marco rolled over head and landed, rushing with a thrust at her side which she side-stepped, slashing from below with the tip almost connecting to his shoulder. Marco swung upwards from his stomach to her neck and in turn she brought her sword as hard as she could towards him with enough strength to send a small shock wave through the Knights grounds, sending plumes of sand everywhere.

Both swords splintered on impact just as Star laid there breathing heavily with a pleased smile on her face as just the edge of her torn sword rested on his neck. Immediately she just noticed something poking her stomach…it was a stick, a stick that he had drawn out of nowhere. The hum that outlined their bodies disappeared just as both laughed, half remembering their own movements that followed to them to this moment.

"I guess it's a draw." Marco said through heavy breaths, looking at his ruined practice sword just as his Princess smirked.

"For now, my love…but there's going to be a next time that's for sure."

It was his time to smirk. "A sword sparring match date? Star…you're a girl after my own heart."

She giggled.

Upstairs the Queen frowned at the display. "How can this be…the magic is destroyed; this shouldn't be possible."

"Actually." Tom crossed his arms, directing the ruler directly. "It's a little bit complicated than that Queen Moon, what you're looking at was Lucitor demon magic, from the side of my family, if you get my meaning."

Moon racked her brain for answers until she found the one, she was looking for. "From the marriage to Celena the Shy? I don't understand."

Tom opened his mouth to answer before his breath left him, courtesy of Janna who punched him on the gut.

"Don't you dare to invite more people when we got a date tomorrow." She hissed with murder in her eyes.

The demon growled in agony, shaking his head violently. "I…I wasn't." He pouted.

Moon rolled her eyes, not caring in the slightest at the words they just exchanged but instead lifted an eyebrow, eager for the Lucitor Prince to explain.

Gathering his breath once more, the demon turned to speak to her. "Queen Moon, have you ever heard of the blood moon?"

"The Blood Moon of Lovers, the one that binds two souls for eternity…I know about the legend. It is an Underworld event…are you telling me that Star and Marco are…"

"You're looking at them right now." Janna pointed a thumb towards the Knight's grounds as Moon pursed her lips.

Throwing an annoyed glare at the young rogue for interrupting him, he sighed. "Indeed, it is. An event that only happens 667 years, Marco and Star were chosen by the Blood Moon herself."

Moon glared at him. "And why would Star and Marco would be in the Underworld to be chosen?"

He didn't like the ice-cold glare that was being aimed at him. He just laid there twiddling his thumbs in embarrassment.

"I…I kind of invited Star two years ago to get selected by the Moon in an attempt to get her to like me again." Her glare got harsher. "Please…I apologized profoundly from the bottom of my five thousand souls, I am forever ashamed of myself for trying something so vile with Starship, however, Marco followed us to the Underworld and in turn…they got chosen by her, by the Blood Moon of Lovers." He sighed look aside. "And once we were dating, their bond only got stronger and stronger, liking everything from each other and I was just standing in the side lines." He sighed as he reopened his wounds.

Janna who has observed this was the very first person who consoled him about the fact, placing a hand around his arm in a reassuring manner. The gesture while small, got him the courage he needed to finish.

"Marco, my brother of another mother tried to even tried to over his funk off Star and she in turn told him that the very same thing was happening to her. They both believed that their attraction to each other shouldn't be dictated by the Moon and I just thought that it was just the phenomena of the Blood Moon, going as far as to call their bond a curse and I offer them a way to sever their connection with an artifact called the Severing Stone, one which can cut through anything physical, emotional, or magical and it worked for a while, Marco and Star were relieved that their bond was no more and life went on…but that's not how it ended. The Blood Moon was just obscured by clouds but it shined through." His eyes light up with emotion. "You're looking at two souls that have gone through everything together, through adversity, pain and misery…they were always meant to be together, I wish I had realized that sooner and thus, their bond is expanding, Marco has gotten some of her abilities, that's why he could lift a horse in the realm of Magic, through the Johansen side of Star's family and their massive strength or how he just demonstrated his aptitude for magic."

"But…how?"

"I wish I could have an answer to that. I don't believe magic is in essence destroyed. Magic can be described as a great many things, a force of nature that transcends all beings or a form of science that hasn't been properly studied. It can be born from anything in anybody. The realm of magic is where it originated, maybe because it was the first-dimension magic touched before using it to extend itself to multiple dimensions. Sort of like the wand, both were conduits for magic to flow through from their source and now that the essence of magic disappeared from the Butterfly line, something fell in to fill that void…I believe that is why Star is just using powerful Lucitor demonic magic without realizing it. Our power comes from our blood, it isn't stored in any dimension or a physical plane but through generations of our family."

Moon looked aside, the possibilities opened at this revelation were vast and it put her in another predicament.

Behind her the Vulpesh representatives were nodding at each with approval.

"I believe that we made the right choice" His smooth voice cutting through the Queen's thoughts as she looked aside just as Ponyhead, Kelly, Janna and Tom arched an eyebrow at those strange words.

"Yes." Was the only thing she said before she turned around. "Tell Star and Marco to meet me in the library." Was the last thing she said over her shoulder before she took her leave with the Governor following after the Queen. The long-headed humanoids stayed a few seconds openly glaring at them smugly before they left as well while the friends looked at each other not knowing how to react.

Below them, Marco and Star locked lips in a passionate kiss wrapping their hands around them.

"Should we go and tell them?" Janna asked with a lifted eyebrow. Tom just rolled his eyes.

"I think it'll be a while before they get to listen."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was in fact almost ten minutes of pure kissing for the teens to finally snap out of their love daze. They had been so surprised at their audience but were left perplexed about the words from Star's mother that Tom had relayed to them with the teens looking at each other in confusion.

"Welp, let's get changed." Star commented on taking her sweaty t-shirt between her hands for emphasis.

Marco looked at his own hoodie and nodded.

"Girl, you're taking this way too far." Ponyhead pursed her lips in annoyance. "We haven't hung like in, forever and now you're crossing swords with Prince Turd here?"

Star rolled her eyes. "It's Prince Marco, thank you very much and…you're right. We've been so busy with trying to fix the kingdom that the only thing I want is to either stay in bed or go and party on and drink a whole bottle of Moonshine but I can't." She growled in annoyance. "So, the only thing I can is tire myself out, fighting is a good way to bleed out stress."

"Oh you two fought alright, the whole night too, if you get my meaning" Janna giggled lifting her eyebrows saucily as the two teen eyes widened and Tom looked aside blushing as well, looking at his shoes in embarrassment.

"Janna!" Star growled with impatience, stealing Marco's words.

Ponyhead frowned, blinking as she tried processing the rogue's words and making no sense to them.

Kelly's face went pale, nervously chuckling to hide her own pain at those words. She sighed, looking on discouraged on, a small black cloud raining on her parade, pursing her lips at her own weakness.

"Girl what's she talking about? We fight in a room with a pillow not swords! You guys are going to poke each other eyes off with those pointy things."

"Uh…" Hummed the Royal couple, not knowing how to answer.

"Sex Ponyhead, they had sex." Even Kelly couldn't help but to mock her innocence as Tom coughed nervously wanting the Earth to swallow him back into the Underworld.

"SAY WHAT NOW?!" The flying Ponyhead screeched.

Star snarled. "You didn't have to comment on that Janna." Her eyes turned murderous and this time Janna couldn't help but to feel terrified, hiding behind Tom.

"For your information, it was beautiful, beautiful love making but Janna you need to keep your mouth shut, we're friends but that doesn't mean you can blab our secrets to everyone." Marco admonished with crossed arms.

"Chicken B-" The mouth of Star immediately slapped her mouth shut.

"Don't you dare finish that." The Princess growled plowing through Tom who could barely jump aside. Star looked at everyone. "Things are going to change here. We're all friends, good friends but some things are better not be said freely. I don't know if you guys noticed but with tensions running high, me and Marco are one of the keys to bring stability back to the kingdom, if anyone, ANYONE knows that we gave us to each other before marriage, things could get nasty around here so don't you even dare to say something, are we clear?" She told them menacingly with a wave of fury, barely holding herself together.

Sighing, Marco took his fiancé by the hips, hugging her across his chest, still fuming against him. "What Star means is that we're important to the Kingdom and we're doing what we can to maintain order and making it better. A lot of people suffered through the battle, cleaving the world made it worse for Mewni and we're trying our best here. So please, can you guys help us to help Mewni?"

Janna looked aside. "I am sorry Marco." She apologized for the third time in her life. "Imma keep my mouth shut about these issues."

"No, I am sorry." Star sighed. "I am getting too angsty with what's going on. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"It's all good, water under the bridge." Janna smiled.

"Thank you, but don't get me wrong…we're all friends but please Janna, keep silence is very important and also it's a private matter, would do that for me?" The Prince implored.

Everyone nodded.

Ponyhead rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Yeah, yeah. We're all privy about thise stuff but I am disappointed in you B-Fly…I am your beastie, we tell beasties this stuff, we gotta get your funk off your system, it makes you all cray-cray."

Star and Marco looked at each other. "She has a point." The Princess smiled. "Okay, how about we hang tonight? Jackie invited us to a party the other day in our first date, we need to really decompress here, things will get a little bit…fucky in the coming days."

"I agree hon." Marco agreed before he sniffed the air, waving his hand around. "We better take a shower Star, we sort of stink."

"Right back at you." Star shot him finger guns at him, slowly leaning in close. "You smell so good…do you want to take a shower together and have more sexy times with your Princess? I…need my manly man."

Marco's cheeks exploded in red, trying his best not to look at their friends, he dumbly nodded and took her hand in the direction of the Monster Tower as they both waved over their backs.

"See ya lateeeeeeeeeeeer!" Star sing sung as they disappeared from view.

"They're seriously a match made in heaven, aren't they?" Janna giggled with amusement just as the demon boy rolled his eyes, she wrapped her hand around his arm and grinned back at him. "Relax horns, do you want to get a breath of air?" Tom blushed, coughing at he looked at Kelly and Ponyhead, still not used to public displays of affection but he eventually nodded.

"Janna and I are going to take a breather; we'll be back later." He didn't bother to say anything but to grab her by the hand and literally running away with a snickering Janna behind him.

Ponyhead rolled her eyes. "Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure. We'll see ya later, c'mon Kelly, let's get something to drink, we need this filthy funk outta here!"

For once the warrior silently agreed following after her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Never before had Marco been so eager to get into the shower with Star. After getting dressed, Marco had walked funny for the few steps after their heavy tryst, a fact that Star found hilarious so now they were calling each other wild one twins, snickering through the hallways until they were in front of the library. Marco opened the door for Star as she entered with a smile with the Prince closing the door behind them.

A Royal Knight was preparing to sound the herald just as Star cringed and negated him with a violent shake of her head. Disheartened, the Royal Knight hugged the wall.

The flying servant Archibald was there, smiling deeply at them.

"Presenting Star The Underestimated Butterfly and Prince Marco Ubaldo Diaz." He announced them with a firm voice.

Queen Moon nodded at them both just as the representatives did, bowing respectfully at them. They sat next to the Queen, facing the strange humanoids.

"I am glad that you two could make it." She cleared her throat. "This is my daughter, Star Butterfly, crown princess of Mewni and this is her fiancé, Prince Marco Ubaldo Diaz from Echo Creek, Earth."

The humanoids bowed their heads again.

Queen Moon took a deep breath. "This is Katarsh Bokang and Lonjana Grecol. They're representatives from the nation of islands of Vulpesh. They're part of the dimensions that joined with Mewni in the cleave. They're here in a mission of peace and they need our help, that is if you accept Star."

She blinked. "A mission of peace?" She frowned slightly. "May I know the details of this mission, please?"

Katarsh opened his hands, holding them with his palms facing forward. "We have come for assistance. People are disappearing in our lands without a trace, over three dozen people are gone without a trail, signs of struggle or even property seized. Our citizens are in turmoil and we're running on a thin red line from a rebellion broken out. Like many before us, the unification of our worlds placed a considerable turmoil in our citizens and our industry."

If Marco hadn't been holding her hand behind her back, she was sure that she would try and sink into her chair because of how bad she felt at hearing those words. Marco limited himself to squeeze her hand, letting her know that they weren't doing this alone, he was here and he always would be. It gave her the courage to nod at his words, eager to hear the rest.

"My King is pursuing a alliance with Mewni and opening a trade agreement from our vast industry of precious industrial knowledge, raw materials and other sciences that we've develop through generations in exchange to resolving these disappearances. I believe our Kingdoms can help each other, we can build a better future for everyone if you accept our offer, requesting both of your royal presence to resolve this mystery. We would leave in a month notice from today if you accept."

Star blinked. "So, I would lead a peace operation, find your missing citizens and get Mewni an ally?"

The humanoid nodded. "That is correct."

"Great. Could you excuse me for a second? I need to discuss terms with my fiancé."

Marco and Star stood up from their seats, walking to the furthest corner of the library as Queen Moon frowned at them, biting her lips not to break into another incessant tap of her shoes on the carpeted floor.

Star smirked. "This is awesome Marco." She whispered. "Adventure awaits! We could leave on a mission of dangers to a foreign land and kick ass…it's what I've wanted the whole year since I got back to Mewni! Just you and me Marco." She smiled.

He smiled back. "You know what? That sounds actually pretty good…just you and me having adventures mi princesa."

"Facing danger." She smirked.

"Resolving the mystery."

"We can be like Duck Detective and his constable."

They both snorted in laughter, making sure to muffle their lips with their hands. After calming down they put their most regal faces, seriously looking ahead, not even looking at anyone in the room before taking their seats.

"Well Star? What have you decided?" Moon pressed on.

Marco and Star looked at each other, nodding at the representatives.

"We'll do it."

The Queen actually sighed in relief.

"You've made the right call." The male humanoid smiled.

For a moment Marco thought he could feel that there was something off putting about that smile but the feeling disappeared a soon as it came.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You did what?!" Ponyhead screeched through the heavy bass music in Marco's house.

Star cringed. "We got a royal mission in a month!"

"WHAT?!" She repeated.

"I SAID WE'RE GOING IN A MISSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIION."

"Girl jeez, you don't have to holla." The flying head said as Star rolled her eyes with amusement, bringing the flavored vodka to her lips and taking a hearty sip, tilting her red cup to Marco who was sitting in the couch with Jackie and while girlfriend lingered with their friends, talking with Kelly. The skater girl and Marco were as far away from the music as they could be.

"And that's how me and Star got engaged." Marco finished his story with a sleeping Eowyn in his lap.

"Woah." The valley girl exclaimed, rolling her own drink around. "It seems so…so…" She tried to find a word that didn't seem insulting to him. "Rushed?"

Marco chuckled. "I know what it seems to me but Jackie, she's the love of my life. I was willing to die with her; Star is my everything. I feel like we've already went through everything together, through so many dangers and things that tried to separate us but in the end we came out stronger. I just wish that we hadn't been so tense with each other."

"Yeah…" Jackie trailed on taking a sip of her drink.

Marco gulped realizing his mistake. "I…am sorry. I didn't mean it like that Jackie…I feel like a total asshole to you."

Jackie sighed. "Look Marco, I do not regret a single moment that we shared together. Sure, it was short and the one-sided conversations about you going on about Mewni and Star were awkward but you know? I glad you got the courage to ask me out, we didn't hook up but…" She placed a hand on his. "I made a good friend and I wished that we hadn't let all this time went on without talking. You're really a cool guy and you got so many qualities. Star is really a lucky girl to have you, you have the fairy tale story line per line. You're marrying a Princess and you are an actual Knight and now a Prince? Going off to a far an distant land for a just motive…wow Marco, just wow."

Marco smiled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess when you say it like that, I can't deny it…it almost seems like fiction."

"But it is reality." Jackie finished. "I am jealous of what you have with Star."

Marco frowned. "But aren't you happy with Chloe?"

The skater girl shrugged. "I am down with her. I am happy that she's the one that demonstrated that I can have my share of new experiences that I never knew I could have. I like her, she's fun, smart and passionate about the things that I like, but…it is just that, it's fun." She trailed on, looking aside with the hint of pain behind her blue eyes. "I don't love her Marco. I don't know for how long we're going out, maybe I'll have to spend more time with her to know my real answer, but you Marco?" She smiled widely at him. "You fell in love from Star from the very beginning…love at first sight was something out of a fairy tale, then once more, you're following that line for line."

If only those words made him feel worse. "You didn't deserve what I did to you."

"Don't Marco, don't speak like that. What happened, happened. I never got mad at you…dense as you are, Star was equally as clueless about both of your feelings. I don't know how much of a torture was that to you and her went through to be finally honest with each other and she already apologized with Tom…he's clearly taking it very well." She pointed at Tom who had Janna sitting next to him, an arm sneaked around his black suit. "They seem to get together just fine to me; Janna is a cool girl if you look past her weird obsessions with the occult or necromancy."

Marco patted his back-pocket sighing with relief as Janna looked in their direction and waved, smirking at Marco.

He shuddered. "Sorry…force of habit when I'm in the same room as Janna"

Jackie laughed, covering her petite lips with a hand, shaking her head in amusement. "It seems that you're not the only person having a rough patch." She took a drink from her red cup, pointing it out someone in the room with it. Marco looked around finding Kelly looking at him with longing in her eyes. When the Woolet warrior noticed his stare, she immediately turned around, going to the table to serve herself another drink.

The Prince sighed. "I…have a whole month before we have everything ready for our mission."

"I am sure you'll do just fine Marco; you and Star are good combination of kickassery. I've seen what you guys can't do. I am sure that you will resolve that mystery quickly, well, not that quickly I hope." She giggled. "You're now taking your time off from everyone until you're done there. I would take that with a grain of salt."

"Hey." He chuckled. "It isn't exactly a vacation plus it's cold…like Greenland cold according to the representatives. We'll have to pack a bunch of winter clothing and I need to get a new sword. I had to give away El Choppo a time ago."

She smirked. "A warrior cannot be without a sword. Fairy Tale Marco should be your new nick name."

He laughed just as Star came and sat next to him, almost spilling her drink on him. "Hiya cuttieeee! Hiya Jackie!" She drew one with a giggle.

"Hey my boo…you aren't drunk, are you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course not silly. It's just vodka, it's going to take a barrel of that stuff to knock out this Johansen Butterfly off to drunkland."

The valley girl smirked at her words and took another sip. "I heard about your mission girl; it's going to be bonkers going somewhere else for your kingdom."

Star frowned. "Yeah…but it has to get done, on the plus side, I'll have Marco here carry all my luggage and be a sexy distraction when I can't think about the mystery"

He chuckled. "Oh, so I am just there as eye candy?"

"Yes sir." She giggled. "Imma put you in my pocket like you wanted me to and carry you everywhere with me"

Marco's cheeks exploded in red, looking aside with embarrassment.

Jackie lifted an eyebrow at her, not understanding a single word out of her mouth to which Star smiled.

"There we were, in the dimension of magic, grasping our minds to not get drunk and forgetful in the magic properties of it…then Marco confessed his love for me and told me that he wanted to be very small so I could carry him in my pocket and take him out when I needed to and pat his head." She giggled as he pouted in embarrassment, patting his head lovingly.

Jackie laughed softly. "Marco, you're one adorable dork."

"Oh yeah, yes he is!" Star giggled. Marco just pouted at her words.

The warg woke up from her sleep, looking at the Princess with some annoyance, she looked at her owners and decided that Jackie would make a better pillow, sitting on her lap, nuzzling her shirt with a half purr, half roar.

"Awww, you're so cute." The valley girl drew circles behind her ears which she enjoyed a lot.

"Jackie, I'll be right back okay? I need to give Star something." Marco took his princess by the hand as Jackie waved at them. Star got giddy, running her hands on his hips even as they passed in front of their friends looking on, but instead of going upstairs like she expected to, he guided her behind the house. The stars glowed softly, outlining the hills drawn with many lights from the houses with the new Mewman mountains in the distance drawn across the night sky by the full moon.

He guided her behind the shed, letting go of her head and turning away from her, digging something from his red hoodie pocket, his fingers twirling with a small blue box as Star looked strangely at him.

"Marco? Is everything okay?"

He took a deep breath, his blue eyes glowed with determination. He turned around so quickly that Star got startled, looking at him in surprise before her eyes got wide as dinner plates the moment he took a knee facing her, showing her a small blue velvet box, covering her mouth with raw emotion.

"Star…we've been with each other for so long. You're the person that completed my life, you showed me how to live, you're my life line, my princess whom I share night nachos and kick ass with…I know I already proposed but let me give you a ring that symbolizes everything that you mean to me, with this ring I will give you my heart, my body and my soul until the end of times." He pulled a gold ring with a pink jeweled stone in the shape of a heart, taking her shaking hand, slipping it on her ring finger.

She launched herself at him, hugging him and crying on his shoulder smiling as she came to face him.

"I got something for you as well." She roamed through the front pocket of her narwhal dress, pulling out another blue velvet box, opening it and showing it to him. It was a beautiful black obsidian Damascus with a silver crescent moon on top. He marveled at it just as she took his hand and put it on.

"Did…did Tom came to you?" He lifted an eyebrow.

"Yup…he gave me this ring." She admitted. "He said that with it, we can feel each other presence…no matter where we are."

"Oh, my boo…we don't deserve you." Marco closed his eyes, shaking his head. "He also gave me your ring, we need to do something for him, after we get to celebrate that is." He eyed the shed behind them just as he smirked pointing at it. "The shed is currently…unoccupied."

She giggled getting his drift. "Third time just today my love?"

"Oh, my beautiful princess…third is the charm." They both laughed, opening and closing the shed door behind them from where there was giggle followed up by a growl of pure pleasure.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **Adventure awaits very soon! Stay tuned for the next chapter. If you got questions PM me, please review and subscribe. Until the next one.

D4rK


	11. A Mewman Minute

**A/N: **My apologies for the lengthy wait but I need to wrap things up before the next stage in this story.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 11.**

A Mewman Minute.

Star was floating.

Or it felt like it.

Her mind was freaking out, sending panicked signals to her body that they were in mortal peril, yet she couldn't discern up from down. Was she falling? Was she with her feet down? She didn't know, her eyes blinking in and out of focus, eyeing her surroundings. She was in a vortex of gold, blues and black, swirling in a hypnotic pattern that sent more confusion than answers to her.

There was an audible click and just like that, a massive room materialized all over her, falling down with a grunt on her rear as if she had been floating five inches off the ground. She stood up shaking her eyes in annoyance only to stood there, basking in her surroundings.

She was in giant ball room, shapeless beings danced with each other with a source of light that dipped the room in a cold gold that seemed to stretch on forever. She blinked, observing her hands.

They looked like they had been through a grinder, flickering her pale fingers. Faded scars littered her arms and fingers from where blood was dripping to a floor she couldn't even see. Cringing she shook her hands off the gore, flickering it through the air but it kept coming, confusedly she could not feel any pain whatsoever or any visible wounds for the matter. She sighed, spotting a bar at the only perceptible wall of this cavernous room where a single individual sat.

A bald male sat on the last stool dressed in a fine velvet blue robes that covered him completely ending in two polished leather boots, to the left of him was a bartender cleaning a glass mug, his back to her. Curiously she stared at the individual humming in concentration…he seemed so familiar. There was an alight yellow wax candle next to him with streaks of oranges, yellows and just a drop of black ripples of black at the end of it, it seemed familiar as well.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she cringed again as her thick brown boots kept walking all over the blood that kept dripping down her hands but she couldn't do anything else but to keep walking, the sounds that resounded her ears per every step was a jingling and scraps of metal along with the heavy thump of boots. There was a mirror lined over alcohol bottles and the image that stared back at her left her astounded at the blood-stained face that stared back at her

Like that ancient memory in the Forest of Certain Death, her Bog beast outfit was different. Painted with blood sloshes mixing with the purple fabric; she was wearing a blackened cuirass, with chain mail around her limbs wrapped around thick fur underneath, her forearms where covered in blackened vambraces. Her hair was styled in a single long braid over her shoulder rather two braids. Sharp and glowing blue eyes gazed back, her face had faded bruises and a thin but noticeable scar on her right cheek, just under her eye. She touched her features with a hum of confusion, cringing when she left a red streak of red in her wake, her body recoiling in confusion made her feel an object pinned to her hips, she looked down at the hilt of a sword that she had never seen before. She was about to try and brandish the strange weapon before she heard a scoff.

The bartender turned around and his eye…or should we say, his head for eye stared at her with annoyance, shaking his head and putting two hands on his hips.

The bald man raised a single blue hand. "It's okay bud…she's with me."

Star stopped in mid step, her eyes widening in shock just as the bald and bearded man turned around with a small smile.

"Hello Star…it has been a while hasn't it?"

"Glossaryck!"

She couldn't help herself but to flung at him, not even caring that now he seemed like a bigger version of him, as tall as Marco's father. The blue man did not even say anything as his yellow robes were dipped in blood and shaking him like a ragdoll, he hugged her tenderly, patting her back.

"It's so good to see you kid."

"I…thought you were dead." She couldn't help but to mutter, patting his face and noticing that his jewel was gone. The man didn't say anything as she patted and touched him to confirm that he was really there and when she took her distance once more, he smiled relieved, the blood disappearing from his face, beard and clothes like magic.

"What is this place?" She added after a few seconds of contemplation.

The warrior Princess looked confusedly around, the darkness tinted what should be a ceiling, the walls were dull grey, extending to the infinite. The shapeless beings kept dancing to a muted song and no matter how hard she tried to dispel the feelings of dread; she trusted the man that sat on the stool next to her.

"You're in the Fade, child."

Her eyebrows shot up. "The Fade?"

"What lies beyond the looking glass…the Beyond."

His words were laced with the morbid humor that she would expect of him, regardless of the seriousness of the situation.

She blinked, touching the cuirass tapped to her body, feeling the dull and grainy metal under her fingertips. "I am dead?!" She shouted, panicking again, her eyes looking around for a way out of this nightmare. The man rolled his eyes, placing a comforting hand on hers and squeezing tenderly.

"You are not dead Star. This is what lies beyond the living…you're a visitor. You are invited to my realm, my inner sanctum"

She took a deep breath, sighing and lowering her head. "Why aren't you dead? I thought…"

He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "Jeez kid, that's ice cold. Do you want me to ask how it felt to kill your magic puppies?" She stayed silent on that, saddened by the prospect of it. Glossaryck groaned, patting his lap. "I provided you with one that will be far more valuable and a better companion than magic puppies. I hope you like her."

"…you gave us Eowyn? How?"

The man pursed his lips, rolling that name in his lips, taking a liking to it. "Let's say that there's a long list of people who owe me favors. I rather have a companion who would provide and keep you company at all times…one that is extremely durable as steel to boot. She's just a pup, but wait until she gets bigger than a warnicorn…you might actually have to feed her weight in meat though. It's a good thing you're rich."

"I actually love her…it's one of the few times you gave me something valuable, besides your knowledge and experience that is." She added the last part at the frown that was growing on his face.

"Yeah, don't get used to it though." He crossed his arms playfully.

"Ok so…how did you survive?"

He took a deep breath, continuing with his train of thought. "Look Star…like you. I also expected to go down with the ship, but alas, that was not the case…I remain here. There are still the remains of magic back in the new world that was formed by you and Marco. And I am looking at one right now." He revealed to her as her eyes tilted upwards in confusion.

"Didn't…we destroy it?"

He nodded. "That might be the case, you destroyed the source of magic, where it pooled down and ran like rivers across all the known multiverse, but you and others individuals that were touched by it, becoming part of your very essence, your very soul…very powerful magic played its part here. I told you a long time ago that love was the most powerful source of magic in the multiverse" He said while pointing out at her heart, the girl once more feeling for her heartbeat. "The ramifications of the events are being felt across the multiverse…all your versions destroyed the magic but at the same time, you have left a vacuum in which millions of individuals ceased to exist."

She hissed in pain with this information, getting burned from the inside at the sheer agony of the knowledge that she had been responsible for the destruction of millions.

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL ME THAT!" Her voice came in a roar that disappeared with an echo of a thousand whispers. Star snarled, baring her teeth, cringing and clacking together in a display of her power, her skin glowed red with her fists shaking and bulging with enough strength to pierce her own skin. When she heard the crash of glasses at her right, her head snapped fast towards the terrified bartender who was shaking in fear, she couldn't help but to look at her reflection, basking in the terrifying face that looked back at her.

Her blue eyes were glowing like a super charged nova, like two lightning bolts that cracked through the sky, hungering for carnage and blood lust. Her face was scrunched in a scowl that terrified herself at how feral she looked with the blood splatter across her cheeks. For a moment she thought that she felt sharp teeth in her mouth before it disappeared replaced instead by the shock of what just happened.

"Ah..." Glossaryck droned. "Relax child…it happens with every decision of the cosmos, every decision is like a ripple that runs through the veins of the multiverse, a single decision can be the difference between millions dying, existing or living, it is part of the circle of the universe, but between all the Star Butterfly's…you're the very first one that I've seen this change of you from within. You can feel it, can you?" He never lost his serenity, taking a sip of his drink. "The power that runs through your veins mixing with the Butterfly line magic…it isn't just ironic?" He chuckled. "You let go of the Prince of the Underworld but you still keep the powers that have run through the Lucitor family for untold generations. Talk about unfair arrangements, though finally you both snapped to your senses and picked Marco. Father Time owes me a Benjamin"

Star came down from her high, her breathing ragged, her mouth opening up and in down in confusion and in a mix of exhaustion, she couldn't help but to snort. "Wait…what?"

He continued on as if he hadn't heard her questioning tone. "The Lucitor family magic is highly unrefined for my tastes…and somewhat limited. It forces the user to draw their magic from themselves, using sigils for spell casting or their many souls contained in their bodies, you draw too much and you dip into your very own life force; you do not have that ability to absorb souls to my complete relief in comparison with a full blooded demon in which they trade souls for casting, like an equality exchange. I would've preferred the magic that has been given from Queen to Queen in the Butterfly family…You must let Tom to show you about the basics of sigil magic, unrefined as it is, but alas, this is what you must use until the time comes."

The Princess looked aside, still in disbelief of her own rage, shuddering in revulsion, though the latter part of his words, sending another wave of confusion running through her. "Sigil magic? What is supposed to come?"

At the gesture, the blue man blinked. "Didn't Marco tell you about my message?"

"What are you talking about?"

Glossaryck sighed. "All sentient beings are the same. You literally show them the events of the foreseen future and what do they do? They freak out and keep it to themselves, it is so typical."

Her terrifying snarl came back, shaking him violently. "No more of your cryptic crap, speak, now."

"Okay! Okay!" This time he looked seriously alarmed, cringing at the bloody imprint of her hands in the material of his robes. She stood there, waiting patiently, her eyebrows crunching in acute concentration, waiting for him. "What you and the past Queens did was not really a solution to the situation at hand. While it seemed like a good choice, in reality Star...I was proud of you for my own egoistical wishes."

"What do you mean?"

"I was born in the known multiverse into my role Star…without redirections. My needs, my wants, my desires were always left in a second plane, never to be acknowledged or acted upon. I never had free will of my own. I was never allowed to intervene by the magic that bounded me to Mewni, I always guided others to seek a balance in the world but it seems that balance is now in disarray and I do not blame you for it. The balance and the insufferable wars that Mewman and Monsters carried on for generations is a testament of that. I always said that I was neutral party in these matters and it was the truth to a point, magic gave birth to me and now my purpose has finally come to an end…I can now do as I wish, from beyond the realm of the death. Ironic, isn't it?"

She hummed, processing his words before a chuckle escaped her. "Oh, but you got your way to get pudding."

He smiled, amused. "Certainly. I never said that I couldn't bend the rules established for me, it is the nature of the universe after all." His face turned serious. "But now I have free will, I am allowed to live as I see fit, I do not have to help anyone since I was relieved of my duties. I am helping you out of the goodness of my own heart." He exaggerated the gesture, blinking innocently.

They both looked at each other and snorted.

"Good one…what do you want?" She saw through his ruse, crossing her arms over her armor, staring down at her mentor.

He sighed, looking at his own hands. "Did it really seem surprising that I want to help you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Glossaryck, you are many things…but being helpful isn't one of them. Like you said, you're a selfish one. You only offer help when it benefits you somehow." She shook her finger at him. "Can't say I don't know how I would be like if I was forced to live forever as an entity that is bound to the rules of magic and servitude to Queens." She shrugged just as his rhombus purple eyes looked aside. "So, let me rephrase the question, what is it that you want me to do?"

"Like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted. The vacuum that put a dent in the multiverse will bring consequences that you need to be ready for, a war like any other in the planet is soon coming Star, one that you cannot avoid from happening, suffering like no other will follow and now that the humans are in it, this will be one for the history books…if there's someone left to write it that is." He took a deep breath, taking his gamble. "The magic must be brought back."

She blinked, looking at him confusedly. "You're joking right? Why the hell would I do that?! You saw what happened, it had to happen. There's no way that I would ever bring it back. It even corrupted my mother, just as it got corrupted the last time we went down there."

He rolled his fingers through his beard. "That was not my doing, but yours Star."

The Princess hummed in confusion.

"You see Star, when the wand was cleaved in two, your emotions feed the magic itself. I might not have interacted with you and your personal problems, but even I could feel a shift in your personality, a shift that reached out through magic. The green rot started happening because of the very embodiment of your anger and darkest thoughts and spells while using the reforged wand, its echoes traveling to the well. I don't know for long its influence ran through but I did recognize the Millhorse that came through your wand as it perished. You see, when a Millhorse dies, they go back where they came from. The tainted Millhorse Vincenzo died and returned where he was born and his remains started rotting the Magic Dimension from the inside, his tainted aura was the poison that started it all"

Star looked aside. That had been a very dark period for her, to think that her dark thoughts swirling through her mind had managed to manifest into some of her actions in which she even hurt the person that she loved the most out of jealously, she had wanted to hurt Jackie badly and punishing her for stealing Marco away from her and she had wanted to do bodily harm to Marco for daring to walk away from her…the voice that encouraged those actions might be gone, but the memories still remained.

The Princess buried those feelings as far as she could into her own mind and scoffed, enraged by the very idea of bringing back something that was responsible for the suffering of countless beings across centuries. "We just saved the world, we stopped Mina and the destruction of Mewni and besides." She rolled her eyes. "You made the well; you made the wand and gave it to the first settlers. How the hell would I even do that? Even if I wanted to, I don't even know how."

The blue man rolled his eyes. "Honestly?" He twiddled his fingers together, looking aside, strangely sheepish. "I have no idea."

"Excuse me?!" She growled.

"Only a few individuals were touched by the magic...you and Marco created a new world by using the most powerful spell known in the multiverse, love. You're intrinsic in magic just as the boy is after being exposed for so long to it. When the situation presents itself, you two will know what to do. Make no mistake, this is a predicament that involves all of you, the balance of this new world depends on it."

She snorted, rolling her eyes. "You just want to cling to the past. Face it Glossaryck, we are better off without it…the problems with it are over."

He shook his head in amusement. "Oh Star…your problems have only begun. You will know what to do, follow your heart child and understand that magic is neither evil or good, it is just part of nature, the problem have always laid with the abuse of it…love brought you and Marco together, just like this new world is your responsibility now…and everything that conveys that decision." He stared intently at her.

The blood that slipped through her hands increased dripping until it was a geyser shouting out her skin. She panicked looking at the gore that freely dripped from her limbs, looking at the blue man who never stopped looking at her. His smile returned, almost with malicious intent.

"Rise and shine Star Butterfly…they are rage, brutal beings without a sheen of mercy, but you and Marco will be far worse. Rip and tear until it is done…you will do what I've always wanted to do…now wake up and smell the ashes of war."

His purple eyes glowed before Star found herself back in the shed, jumping slightly as her eyes took into her surroundings, making the young man next to her to groan, slowly moving his head slightly. She smiled at the love of her life.

The sun rose with a vengeance through the window of the shed. Her blue eyes blinked at the offensive ball of hot helium as she groaned sleepily, hissing at the sun that slammed against her cheek, turning to the side, wrapping her hands around Marco's naked torso, snuggling under the covers of his warm hoodie and her narwhal dress, relishing in the warmth of his naked and firm body. She sighed, resting her cheek on his chest to hear at his heart beating steadily thumping, it reminded her of how much they loved each other. In comparison with Marco, she didn't freak out for a single moment after waking up, understanding the premonition that Glossaryck just told her.

It was never simple, wasn't it? They were seriously going to have a talk about honesty when it came to you in your dreams.

A groan from her lover came, a deep yawn resounded through the shack just as two sleepy brown eyes opened and stared at hers. She didn't move from her position, liking how safe and warmth he made her feel.

"Morning Star."

"Morning papi." She kissed his naked chest just as he laughed softly, running his fingers through her long blonde hair. They smiled at each other, their faces slipping closer, sharing a small but meaningful kiss that conveyed emotions that couldn't be put into words. Her wings started to flicker and he chucked again, hugging her close.

"I would love to stay like this but I think the shed floor is digging into my butt." He groaned in annoyance separating from her, finding her shoe over his butt cheek.

She made a disgusted face. "Marco, I don't want my shoes to stink of your butt."

"Oh yeah? That's not what you told to my butt yesterday. I think your fingers left a mark." He teased her and she couldn't avoid but to laugh with him. "Heh…I don't know about you, but after yesterday I am ready to eat a whole supermarket all by myself."

She sighed, slipping off their warm cocoon with her boyfriend smiled at her naked figure, trying his best to look aside before he got a woody. He cleared his throat, looking through their clothing until he found his fanny pack, digging for some wet wipes giving some to her. "We…ya know, let's uh, clean ourselves up, down there."

Star looked down at her body eyeing the crust of their dried fluids. Blushing slightly, she took them, cleaning her special place just as Marco finished his own inspection, throwing the tissues in a steel trash can, she hoped that nobody would ask about those wipes.

They slowly started dressing each other with Marco taking his time to wait until she put on her panties to slip her dress over her, buttoning the rear buttons. Throwing him a grateful smile, she waited until his t-shirt was on before slipping his red hoodie back where it belonged. They both eyed each other, satisfied with what they were looking at, they joined hands slipping off the shed towards the beautiful day of Echo Creek, smiling the morning air.

The Princess especially loved how with the Cleave and the mountain ranges, the temperature had cooled down significantly to the point where the entire day it was always chilly and breezy. Marco opened back door to their kitchen, looking into the living room where Jackie was asleep with her girlfriend in the couch.

Ponyhead laid before Kelly and their warg who woke up the moment she heard the door being opened. She threw a mix of a growl and a whine, racing towards Star waiting arms as she giggled, petting her soft black fur, kissing her warm nose.

"Morning to you precious." She giggled as she started licking her cheeks and then extended her paws towards Marco who took his time to hold her this time as she rubbed her furry face on his cheeks, sitting her down on the floor.

Star smiled at her antics as she looked into the living room, finding that Tom and Janna were nowhere to be found. They both looked at each other and shrugged.

"Let's get some food going." Marco said while he dug into the fridge for some ingredients. The moment he pulled out some tortillas, Star mouth started drooling, knowing exactly what he was about to make.

"I love your breakfast burritos…"

He smiled at her. "How about you make some coffee? I think I have enough for everyone…now that Tom and Janna are gone, should we, I dunno? Text them? Are they even here?"

Star hummed, shrugging her shoulders. "I think wherever they are, they'll be fine, now get cooking darling, momma's hungry."

He rolled his eyes at his girlfriend and got cooking. Soon the smell of sizzling egg, bacon, toasted tortilla hung in the air waking up the rest of their friends as the warg nose flickered in the air, getting equally hungry.

Ponyhead was up like a cannon, howling in the air.

"Morning B-Fly and…Prince Marco, watchu cookin'?"

"Morning Ponyhead. Marco is making his delicious breakfast burritos." Her smile was electrifying, happiness hung in the air and even to someone like Ponyhead, she noticed the difference immediately, never expecting her friend to do a 360. She smiled at the cook, nodding at him with respect to which he smiled, concentrating in cooking.

Star cut the steak in strips carefully with her knife, making sure to do it in a symmetrical way. The moment the steak red juices started to flow out, she stood there paralyzed, blinking and looking at her hands.

"Something's wrong Star?" Marco called out after putting the bacon to fry.

"Uh, nothing, I'm good." She continued cutting, this time hurrying the process up, throwing a few strips to Eowyn.

It wasn't long before the rest woke up under the fragrance of food. Kelly stirred from her spot in the ground blinking the sleepiness away. Yawning, she looked on as Jackie and her girlfriend untangled from each other, smiling the air around them. The Woolet warrior looked on as they stood up, looking at her own hands before she shrugged and fell in line towards the table, sitting on it.

"Morning ya'll!" Star smiled from the counter, her smile widening as she received several greetings behind her. Concentrating again in her task, she handed the ingredients to Marco who started to stir fry the steak strips, onion and red bell pepper in a pan, taking off another tortilla off the flat iron, adding it to the growing pile just as Star passed several mugs of hot coffee, creamer and sugar.

The echo of a pair of footsteps coming from the second floor brought Marco's attention at his demon friend and Janna who yawned, shooting him a smile.

"Good morning Marco!" Janna cheerfully said, stirring as she came to the kitchen. The moment Tom eyes locked with Marco's, he sheepishly looked aside, clearing his throat.

"Morning everyone." The demon called out, meeting everyone but Marco's eyes who was now glaring at them.

"Were…were you two sleeping in my room?" He hissed.

"And what if we were?" Janna smirked, already enjoying at teasing him early in the morning. "We didn't it mess it up…much."

Star made a disgusted face. "…did you dirty Marco's room?" There was a hint of steel in her voice and that brought the teasing to a complete stop as Janna placated her by lifting her hands in surrender.

"Look, chill. We used the spare futon and we didn't do anything, at all but sleep."

The Royal couple glared at them suspiciously just as the flying pony head smirked, tilting her mouth closer to Kelly's ear. "Drama." She drawled the word with an excited smile, flying up and down just as the Woolet warrior rolled her eyes, trying her best not to interfere, regardless of how she felt.

Jackie shrugged. "Look guys. I loved yesterday, so let's chill and enjoy Marco's fine cooking. Cool?"

Star and Marco shrugged, returning to the kitchen just as Janna and Tom sat down, now with the tension broken down, it was no more than five minutes later when the Royal Couple started serving the ingredients and two mugs of steaming coffee towards the demon and the rogue who muttered their thanks.

They ate with their eyes marveling at the taste of Marco's delicious cooking and while Star had really gotten better behind the stove, she was nowhere his skill level yet she felt happy to prepare this meal with her boyfriend and she had come a long way since then. She added sugar to it, making most of them to look at it oddly, but they didn't say anything. Biting into her breakfast sugarito, she hummed in appreciation for fine eating, it was especially what she needed after shedding so much energy.

There was plenty to eat around, a fact that everyone appreciated.

"Divine." Chloe whispered, smiling in gratitude. "My momma said that American food was ok, but yours Marco? Mmmmm… magnifique."

The young man smiled, looking aside to hide his blush just as everyone giggled at his reaction. Star couldn't help but to prop her elbow in the table as she ate, almost choking her sugarrito. Her hand caught Jackie's eyes, staring at the ring on her hand, gasping and suddenly screaming with excitement.

"Star! Oh my God…don't tell me…"

"What, what?!" The Princess freaked out almost choking with her food, staring intently at the valley girl just as Ponyhead caught on.

"NO WAY, B-FLY! You made guys made it official!" The flying head exclaimed, completely giddy.

Kelly didn't share such sentiments, staring at Marco, especially at his hand's ring that held the burrito. She sighed, swallowing her own agony like a seasoned warrior.

"Congratulations Star and Marco." The Woolet warrior forced a smile, yet even through her pain, she wanted the best for him, even if it wasn't her.

Several congratulatory words came to the royal couple, basking in the attention until Marco cleared his throat standing up and marching off behind Tom.

"Thank you, guy…in reality, we've had already proposed to each other. No way in the entire multiverse that neither Star or I could even find rings as precious as these in such a short notice…so from the bottom of my heart, thank you bro." He hugged his friend from behind. "You've always be my brother."

Tom couldn't help but to smile, looking aside to hide his embarrassment. They both stood up bumping their fist just as Star punched his shoulder playfully.

"And they call you a demon, more like an angel." Star giggled as his cheeks seemed to get even a red darker.

"Ok, ok, jeez. That's like, my limit of dorkiness." Janna rolled her eyes with amusement. "My entire monthly quota was filled."

"C'mon Janna." Tom smirked. "You're taking it too far for a girl that secretly likes girly things."

The friends howled in laughter. Janna in reality took it in stride, shrugging and throwing a piece of tomato that got stuck in Tom's hair as he smirked at her.

Mornings with friends definitely were an A plus in Star list but eventually the friends started to depart after a hearty breakfast.

"Girl, we seriously gotta hang like this often. Daddy is like, getting more annoying after getting' coddled in the Kingdom. Maybe tell your daddy to get him out soon and me? You know me, maybe this new dirt ball can get us a new party place soon, gotta shake this booty."

"Uh…Ponyhead, you go no butt." Marco pointed out from the table just as the flying head scoffed in his direction, leaving with her head held high making him and Tom to snicker. If she had arms, they would be brandishing the international symbol for fuck you. Kelly with some amusement waved behind her, following her out the door.

"C'mon guys, don't be a butt." Star admonished them both, only realizing them what she said. The remaining friends snorted.

Jackie and Chloe stood there in the hallway holding hands, waving at their friends. "I loved today, we seriously gotta do this more often." The skater girl said with a meaningful smile. "You better enjoy as much as you can before you get your pile of Royal duties."

Star chuckled. "You're telling me, in one month I feel that it's going to be a last adventure, a last hurrah before we get locked down in our duties until our honey moon."

The Prince smiled at her words, standing from the table and smiling at his former girlfriend. "We'll keep in touch Jackie. Chloe, is always a pleasure to have you here. Do not hesitate to come here any time you want."

The girl smiled. "Aw thank you Marco, we'll keep in touch."

Jackie chuckled. "I'll pester ya later." She winked shooting him a finger gun just as Marco waved back with a warm smile.

Without realizing them, Janna took whatever remained of the burritos, feeding it to a waiting Eowyn, chewing with gusto. The moment the girls left, she innocently returned to Tom's side with the demon Prince smirking at her actions. The instance the red hooded boy returned to the table and finding his food gone, he looked around in confusion.

"Uh…where's my burrito?"

"Marco, you ate like a man possessed." Janna smirked at the embarrassed look that he exchanged with her. "You probably would've eaten your hand if you weren't paying attention. What made you crave so much energy?" She exchanged a look with the warg who seemed to smile, panting with her ears down.

Star coughed, looking aside. She swallowed her embarrassment and took a deep breath.

"Hey Tom, do you mind if we talk about something? It is very important."

The demon teenager blinked just as Janna and Marco lifted their eyebrows in confusion.

"Uh, sure? I guess."

She briefly smiled. "Good, let's go to the backyard."

"Everything ok?" Marco couldn't help himself but to get a little jealous.

Snickering, Star cut the distance between them, pecking his lips. "Easy wild man, I need to ask him something. Depending on how that goes we'll talk about it later, kay?"

"Sure, we'll be here." The boy smiled reassured, unconsciously taking some distance from Janna.

Rolling her eyes at her boo she made a motion to Tom, exiting the back door to the backyard. Memories of what occurred in the shed yesterday almost made the Princess to blush but she shook her head about those memories while being slammed with old ones.

"Tom, I know I already apologized to you but I want to do it again."

If only, the demon boy chuckled in response. "Star." He took a deep breath, throwing her a smile. "We're ok, alright? We've moved forward, I am trying with Janna and you have Marco, just the way it should've been from the very beginning."

Star pouted. "Yeah…" She drawled. "We were really blind."

Tom laughed shaking his head with amusement. "It tends to happen."

Star sighed. "Though that's not why I dragged out here." The seriousness of her tone took him off-guard; it was a tone that she only used when facing against her enemies. "Glossaryck contacted me through my dreams."

That immediately put him in a whirlwind of surprise, blinking to ease it yet the feeling remained.

"I thought he was gone."

"So did I." She chuckled. "I am going to keep the details of the dream to myself for now…but he did spoke ill about the future and I need to be prepared; he spoke to me about sigil magic. I know now that what you said is true…I do have Lucitor in my blood. Can we talk about it?"

Tom pursed his lips. "I am not even going to ask how much he knows about it, but yes. Sigil magic is part of my traditional family's history magic through generations; it is chaos magic incarnate, projecting your will and your desires, released through the ancient marks of the universe, you actually seem them in action." He uncrossed his arms, taking a random stick from the floor and started drawing a symbol in a spot of dirt. Star eyes followed the movements, not recognizing the symbol but it felt familiar to her for some odd reason.

"This is a basic elemental sigil. It is the symbol for fire." The drawing was a simple pattern in an inverted drop of water with its end curling upwards. The center had a line through it with a circle inside of the tear shaped line. Tom drew his right hand and snapped his fingers, fire ignited the lines, curling and cracking in flames. The power was a low setting but Star could feel that it wasn't like a natural fire, this one was glowing just as its lines were scorched in the ground before it extinguished, leaving a burned off pattern in the dirt which quickly was covered by Tom's shoes.

"Woah…" Star drawled on, impressed by it.

Tom smiled, despite himself. "Sigils like its caster also react with your mood, anger is like fire. It fuels the intensity of them, though you can also do modifications to the sigils and make them do something else entirely." He drew another one with the difference of a line cutting through the middle of the tear. "Sigils are very form specific, observe." He snapped his fingers again but unlike the first one, this move moved! The fire cracked to life, moving in a lazy forward pattern that stopped the moment Tom forefinger and thumb tapped twice, the air hummed and glowed before it disappeared entirely.

"Tom, that is actually pretty cool." Star nodded in appreciation.

"It's basic demon magic. The more advanced stuff is so complex that it is extremely difficult but not impossible. In the full blooded Lucitor demons like myself, my blood already contains this information that has passed from generation to generation. Sigils are a good way to tap into demon magic because they're basic forms, just like the elements."

They both smiled at each other.

"I can teach you in a more controlled setting…this isn't really the place to learn it. I don't want to blow up the entire neighborhood…" He crossed his arms again as she nodded. "We have a special chamber in the Underworld where nothing can go in or out; it'll be safe there and you can practice, but go easy. While I assume that the Butterfly magic drew its power from the Dimension of Magic, it is the opposite for sigils. Your body is the vessel for sigils, they get drawn from your soul…you use too much and you'll start draining your life source."

The very same warning by Glossaryck, mused Star.

"How about you give me a call tomorrow? You can bring Marco too if you want. It'll be cool, though if you don't mind me asking, why the sudden interest?"

Star looked aside. "If the warning from Glossaryck was not enough, we have this peace mission from part of the Kingdom. It is my royal duty as a Princess to uphold it and I don't want to be unprepared for the future, we don't know what we will face against out there. The Butterfly magic might be gone but that doesn't mean that I want to be magicless. Insufferable as it is, I think that now I see that magic isn't evil or bad…it is just part of nature; but every time some poophead tries to abuse it, evil will rise…it is why my mother was so easily persuaded by it and why Mina did what she did. I really wished that there had been another way but at that time…it was the only thing that it occurred to me."

Tom nodded in response. "I can teach you Starship."

"Good! I got the entire month to learn…I am sure it'll come in handy. Now I believe you have a date to prepare for Mr. Lucitor."

He cringed. "Don't call me that…it makes me feel old."

She chuckled. "Then get ready, Janna is waiting."

Smiling at each other they walked back inside the house where Janna was the very first one to notice their presence. Tom walked closer to her.

The demon Prince hummed, contemplating something. "Janna, do you mind starting early for…you know?"

Smiling, she nodded. "Sure, might have to go home and get 'ready', you don't mind waiting downstairs, right?"

"Not at all. Your parents were nothing more than polite." Tom pursed his lips. "You guys don't mind that we split so early in the morning?"

If only Marco rolled his eyes, curiously looking between his girlfriend and his bro. "Tom, you don't need my permission to leave. Have fun you guys…though if I were you, I would be careful." He said staring with mistrust at the girl with the beanie hat, palming his wallet just in case finding it gone. He panicked, looking through the ground in case he dropped it. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he found a smirking Star holding his wallet inches from his face.

"Looking for something?"

"Damn girl, those are some feather fingers." Janna snorted as the look on Marco's face told her everything she needed to know.

"You should probably stop hanging out with her that much Star, she's a bad influence." He told her as he crossed his arms.

"Her? Bagh…the only influence that I need is right here." She turned his face towards her and pecked his lips to the amusement of Janna. Tom accepting as he was with their relationship, politely looked aside, though it was difficult to maintain a straight face the moment he felt the teasing hand of Janna rolled down his arm. He took a deep breath, offering her his hand to the proud gaze of Star who parted her lips from her boo to see the magic moment happen.

Janna looked at the stretched hand, her own heart beating heavily in her chest, slowly her hand extended, her fingers flickering in the air. Strangely she found that Marco's encouraging smile gave her the courage she needed to take it, doing her best to ignore the stares of the royal couple.

"Well guys, we'll see ya later. I'll text ya." Was the last thing that Tom said before he started pulling Janna towards the door, embarrassingly keeping her gaze downwards just as the royal couple snorted between each other.

"I gotta say, is the first time I see Janna so embarrassed." Star mused while shaking her head.

Marco chuckled, agreeing with her. "I know! If they work out between them, we can have a double date."

"That would be totally fun!"

"Only if it ends properly, like not al of us sharing a jail cell. Stripes are not really my color."

Star snorted, punching his arm playfully. "Neither is orange." She mused remembering her duties after destroying that police car.

A sudden thought made him snap to attention as he rubbed the offending spot on his arm. "Star it's Thursday, I totally forgot about it…it's early, but how about I get a bowl of nachos going and we watch a movie before going out?"

Star got giddy, jumping from her excitement. "Another date?" She couldn't help but to dance in circles. "You sure know how to pamper a girl Marco."

"It is included in the Mewni constitution, to always please the Princess."

She arched an eyebrow with an amused grin. "Oh really? I must've missed that part."

"I'm going to add that part when I am King"

They both snorted together before kissing passionately.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As Janna and Tom exited the house, the demon was to quickly clap his hands. A burst of fire came from the very street scaring the Morrisons half to death, slamming the door behind them. A carriage materialized from the ground, before slamming on the ground pulled by four hell steeds. Janna stood there agape, observing the richer details of it. Its dark iron wood design had designs of past eras, with a Baroque and Goth influences. Proudly several scenes of their rich history were displayed along with the Lucitor family crest on the door, a pentagram with a trident through it.

"Woah…" Janna drawled, her eyes taking into the hell steeds who nodded their heads at their master. The door opened by itself as the teenager held it for her, motioning inside the dark carriage.

"After you."

Smirking to herself, she shook her head. "If this is your idea to impress me, I gotta say…it is working!" She said just as she entered the interior.

Tom laughed despite himself, closing the door behind him.

Despite its moderate size, the interior was far more spacious in the inside. The walls were a carpeted red, littering the carriage were video games of all sorts, a LED tv was on wall at the further part of the carriage with a nice and comfy looking couch in front of it. A vast library was on the opposite corner with even a small kitchen to boot. While not the first time she had rode the carriage, it was still equally impressive.

She rolled her eyes. "You sure like to travel in style, though my house is just two miles down the road."

"So you want us to walk? Like a peasant?" He lifted his eyebrow as she exploded in laughter.

"That was so perfect."

Rolling his eyes playfully he sat down in the couch. "I just wanted us to talk without drawing too much attention to ourselves."

"Like if a magical carriage pulled by flaming hellish looking steeds won't." Though she didn't protest any further and sat down with him. The moment she did, the carriage was in motion, without a rider it was obvious that he controlled the motions with his mind alone, another impressive feat by Tom.

They arrived at her house in mere minutes, this time without accident, exiting the carriage, Tom held his hands muttered something in a dark demonic tongue before the carriage started to disperse like a smoke in thin air. Janna smiled at the display from the open door of her household, opening it fully to go inside with Tom trailing behind her.

Her parents smiled the moment she stood inside the house with Tom looking around the rich decoration of their home.

"Hi sweetie." Tala Ordonia hugged her close to her complete embarrassment. "Kamusta ka?"

"Ako ay Mabuting ina, mangyaring itago ito sa ingles." She answered with some annoyance.

"Of course, English it is."

Her father Jed Ordonia watched Tom with interest, just as the last time he had been here.

"It's good to see you again, are you staying here for lunch young man?"

"Thank you for your hospitality, but actually, no Mr. Ordonia. I am here to take your daughter out."

Their relaxed attitude disappeared instantly, replaced by joy. "A date? Oh Janna! Finally!" Her mother was the first to scream amusing Tom to no end.

"Mother please…just stop." Janna wanted to get swallowed by the Earth. By the way he was smirking, he was equally amused. She sent him a death glare to even dare to try to add anything to the conversation but he kept his distance, preferring to being the observer.

"She's just happy that you're taking out such a polite gentleman. Tell me young man, what your family does?"

"Well." The demon began. "My family rules a Kingdom. I am the demon Prince of the Underworld. It is back in Mewni, you know, the new world that just formed into the former Earth."

Janna observed her parents for any discomfort but finding none she relaxed.

"So, a handsome young man, well mannered and a Prince to boot? I have to say that it is a nice catch, do not let this one go, dear." Her father said just as Janna covered her face howling into it. It felt good to finally watch Janna to lose her cool but not wanting her to be in a fool mood for the reminder of the day, he was to quickly hold his hand out.

"I do not intend to." He smiled at the raven-haired beauty. "Janna is everything that I want in a girl, she's unique."

"That she is." Her father agreed. "Would you like some tea? I assume that she's just here to get prepared?"

His insight impressed Tom, now he knew where she got that intuition for things.

Not being able to stare at her parents she raced upstairs, to the complete amusement of the demon.

They all watched go as Miss Ordonia laughed at her antics. "I am going to get some Ensaymada and a nice cup of tea to fight against this unexpected cold."

"That would be delightful. Do you need any help ma'am?"

Amused by him, she shook her head just as the older Ordonia smiled.

"Why thank you, young man. But no, just relax, it'll be done shortly."

Accepting her offer, he sat down in front of the smiling Jed.

"I seriously love your home Mr. Ordonia."

"Please call me Jed and why, thank you. I build it myself."

He blinked in surprise.

"You did?"

The older man nodded. "I used to have my own engineering company; I was an architect by trade. I designed and build this house myself with my own two hands and my crew when I used to be younger and not be riddled with back pains." The older man chuckled. "My wife ran the company with me, but that was many years ago. I sold my company for a good price and we enjoyed an early retirement, living with those funds, though sometimes I do consulting for other companies and design schematics."

"Wow, that's very impressing. How come Janna never spoke about you guys?"

The older man shrugged his shoulders. "She's a very reserved young lady. I dare to say that that she took a long time for her to be open with you."

Tom looked aside. "Yeah, you can say that again."

He rolled his eyes playfully. "Don't let my daughter attitude to fool you, she's a delicate rose that takes her time to blossom. Don't get afraid her thorns, they're softer than they look."

The anecdote wasn't lost in Tom who could only nod in response. The rich smell of something sweet caught his immediate attention with Tala arriving with a tray carrying three cups of steaming hot tea and desserts, his weakness! They were rounded buns with a small quantity of cheese on top ands topped by a splotch of strawberry jam. Setting the tray on the table, Miss. Ordonia handed him his cup with a beautiful floral design. Tom took a deep smell of the tea, sighing in relaxation.

Tala smiled. "It is my family recipe. Green apple tea, I hope you enjoy it, please, take a bun."

"Don't mind if I do!" He laughed with childish excitement, biting into one of the buns. His eyes widened at the sweet and salty taste of the bun, rolling it into his mouth, humming in appreciation and swallowing, nodding in approval. "This is completely out of this world!" He couldn't help himself, taking a sip of the scalding hot liquid with a grateful nod of his head. "I gotta say that your beauty extends to the kitchen as well."

Tala laughed, waving her hand away in embarrassment. "Thank you, Tom."

The older Ordonia shook his head in amusement. "My Tala here is as shy as my daughter. You should've seen her thirty years ago when I met her, she was so shy that it was difficult to even draw a hello from her."

Tala laughed in good nature just as someone cleared their throat from upstairs. Tom looked up with his breath caught in his throat.

Janna stood at the top of the stairs wearing a sleeveless purple blouse with gray pants and polished leather brown boots. Her short hair was ironed and looked so shiny that Tom could swear that he could see his own reflection. The American-Pilipino straightened out her skull shaped purse and came downstairs.

Her parents looked ecstatic, smiling widely at her own daughter while Tom just stood there, gazing at the beauty that was Janna.

"Sup." The raven-haired beauty muttered, trying her best to act casual, even though her heart was beating a million miles per minute.

Coming off his shock, the demon smiled widely. "You look ravishing."

"Uh, yeah, I sure do." She said with some difficulty, looking aside. "Shall we go?"

"Have fun dear." Her mother muttered smiling widely. With another embarrassed groan, Janna took Tom by the hand and started dragging him to the door. Amused, the male Ordonia waved as the couple took off, closing the door behind them.

"Your parents are so cool." Tom commented as he summoned the carriage back.

If she agreed or not, Janna did not say anything but shrugged her shoulders. "They're my folks." She let on simply and he didn't drag it out of her, entering the carriage after her.

Now that they were sitting on the carriage, Tom took a deep breath, his three eyes lighting up in red and he clapped his hands.

Janna felt the motion of falling but the moment it came, it was already gone. Tom smiled widely, opening the door and waving her out. The girl hummed in appreciation at the sight of the Underworld stretching out before her. Just as the teenager was about to exit the carriage, Janna slammed a palm on his chest, stopping him in place.

"Hold it. My rules are…you need permission if you want to use tongue while kissing, nothing above the waist, do not flirt with another girl and most importantly…remember to have fun. I don't care who you think you are, you do not have to show me the fake Tom. Got it?"

Smiling, he nodded. "Always."

"Good." She cut the distance before he could even blink, her lips mere inches from him. "Be a good sport and you might get one of these for starters." She smirked as he started stammering a response, taking his hands on hers. "Now show me the real Underworld, horns."

His smiled literally glowed the moment he locked eyes with her, burning hotter as the very flames that enclosed his kingdom.

"Yes ma'am."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the surface something else was happening. Inside the temporary quarters of the Queen and King of Mewni, they stood face to face observing the changes that had happened between them in the year without ruling the Kingdom.

River without pigging out for the entire day had become leaner, while his shorter stature wasn't impressive, his marked muscles were. He looked just like the day they married, so many years ago. A fact that Moon was to quickly inform him by passing her hands on his muscles to the man's amusement.

"Something you like dear?" He smiled and Moon despite herself blushed, looking aside with a longing smile.

"I think that we have time River to…you know."

The Royal couple cut the distance between them, hugging close to each other, their lips a mere inch apart when there was a knock on the door.

Sighing, the Queen groaned in displeasure, making sure that her royal dress was properly fitted just as River pouted sadly, fixing his blue tunic and the sash that represented the Mewman colors. Giving herself a last look in the mirror, the Queen found none other than Archibald, bowing politely at them.

"My Queen, my King. The Diaz family requires your presence to discuss the building plans for their manor and the established school. They're waiting for you in the library"

Moon blinked. "Of course. I haven't forgotten, though a little early, I shall come down this instant. Just give me a second to be proper."

He bowed. "Of course, my Queen."

The moment she closed the door, she sighed, smiling apologetic to River. "Sorry…duty calls."

"Tonight then?" He pouted. "We did that almost every day in the village, I kinda miss it."

She laughed at that. "When Star and Marco rule this Kingdom, it'll be like that almost every day…I promise you my love."

He pecked her lips tenderly, making sure not to smudge her lipstick. "I am going to hang on that promise."

They grinned at each other, taking a deep breath and with practiced finality, they slipped their facial mask, coming off their room and down the library. Two guards received them, opening the door for them.

Since this was an important meeting that would spell the future of their Kingdom, Moon had told Archibald to keep the protocols off the clock for now, that meant that announcing their presence and their armed escorts were diminished to not attract any attention, yet the polite monster bowed deeply at them.

Marco's parents stood up with a giggling Mariposa strapped to Angie's chest.

"Good morning Queen Moon." Angie was the very first to receive her, hugging the woman warmly.

River and Rafael stood face to face, grunting and analyzing each other, bulging their muscles as a sign of equal dominance, close to ripping their attires out. They both smirked at each other.

"You've grown strong King River."

The stocky man smirked. "We shall see how you look in five years."

Both women rolled their eyes at their respective husbands.

"So, do you have the land that was promised?"

Moon nodded. "During my hefty schedule I have been looking for the perfect spot. Nobody has claimed it in over six hundred years, so I already wrote the records that it belongs to you. I have to contract someone from the current Earth builder companies to measure the land and I have acquired it for you. According to the measurements of the company it is…" She pulled a small data book from her many hidden pockets, flickering it to the right page. "500 acres of green and fertile land. The manor will be facing the Mewni river, very close to the corn fields. We will establish your holdings in the coming weeks to start building everything, I believe I can start you off by a stipend of close to ten thousand dollars per week until everything is complete and we can renegotiate everything up to your standards."

While Rafael's mouth hung at the massive mention of money, the more analytical mind of Angie hummed deep on thought.

"Perhaps we do not have to count completely with the construction companies for the construction of our holdings."

Finding kinship with the woman in front of her, the Queen smiled. "How about we sit down first?"

They all sat down, Angie had asked Archibald for pen and paper where the older Diaz was already plastering her ideas.

"I am going to assume that with the war that was mentioned and the destruction of many Economic sectors of Mewni, many lost their jobs…"

The Queen nodded.

"So…how about we put the word that we're hiring for the construction of our holdings? It would provide many with the opportunity to feed their families and at the same time, have a job security after the construction is complete. If they like what we offer then they are more than free to stay. We can provide housing, food, medical and other necessities towards the affected ones. Everyone is welcome to work without xenophobia…it will be another key element to bring normalcy towards the Kingdom inhabitants." Angie was to quickly starting adding the costs of how much gold it would require, converting dollars to Mewman gold and showing the costs to the Queen who nodded in approval.

"My dear, you have such an insight for business. I believe that we can diminish the costs and bring such a turn around towards the Kingdom profits plus also helping the Mewman and Monster relationship to blossom, just like my daughter would've wanted."

"You'll like it there." River added, breathing deeply. "I've been there many times to hike and hunt there. It is a magnificent place with very clean air."

"Oooooh, exciting. We have no further plans for the rest of the day, we should probably check it out today, what do you say dear?"

Angie looked aside. "What about Marco and the others?"

"I think they're doing more than okay, according to the daughter of King Ponyhead who was just there yesterday. They're safe and sound in the house." Queen added. "Though I do need them both today to help with feeding our people, popular as they are. As Princess and Prince of Mewni, people look at them for guidance. We have already fed many hungry faces and bought dozens of premade houses from Earth delivered by those odd flying metal dragons and driverless carriages to supply our subjects, but many more still remain unfed."

Angie chuckled. "Those flying metal dragons are called helicopters as for the…other vehicles, it's called a car. They are not pulled by any horses but rather a combustion engine that is measured in horsepower."

"So, you're saying that you have mini horses inside of those machines? How can you fit so many in such diminutive space…it's a magic that is unheard of." River said while crossing his arms.

With amusement the Diaz shook their heads.

"We actually brought ours…how about I offer you a ride towards the land for inspection? I am sure that later we can fetch them later for such activity, they are two responsible young couple and I trust them with all my heart." Angie smiled widely.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ah Marco!"

Marco was face down, buried inside of her Narwhal dress, suckling on her hot slit, enjoying the juices that drawled down his chin, loving her sweet nectar.

The movie had started off as any of their Thursday celebrations, a random flick that had involved a lot of politic talk, quickly boring out of it and with the house alone, now it played as background noise as Star howled in pleasure, her fingers digging through Marco's scalp, bringing him closer.

He petted her flower, drawing two fingers on her hot entrance, lapping on her clit, assaulting her most tender spot, her mouth opening and closing, grunting in agonizing pleasure. He drawled a finger on her slit, enjoying how it easily got coated with Star juice, she observed him through half lidded eyes, shuddering in anticipation as once more his tongue met her labia just as the same time as two of his fingers entered her, bringing her to another level of ecstasy, drawing a harsh moan out of her, just as he removed his fingers and buried his tongue as far as it could go.

"Ooooh, yes! Agh, like that!" She panted in heat, her flexed legs quivering without any control.

The boy beneath her growled in painful agony as his cock throbbed painfully in his pants

Sensing her fiancée distress, in a second, she had him to his feet, her legs held him and pushing him forward where his clothed erection met her pelvis. She snarled, twisting her torso forward, opening his pants as he shook them down the floor revealing his swollen member.

Smiling devilishly, her hand was immediately drawn to it, pumping his flesh. He couldn't help but to take the pleasure with a sharp intake of breath as Star tortured him with her delicious touch making her to grin but he immediately paid her back, by grasping her plump thighs and squeezing her flesh with his thumbs drawing lines in her aching pussy making her to shake, propelling him forward with the tip of his throbbing flesh an inch from her. She took him again, teasing herself with the tip of his cock making both teens to groan before she lined their sexes and Marco penetrated her until his hips snapped against each other, both paralyzed in silent pleasure before he grunted and withdrew from her but the tip and buried himself into Star drawling a scream from her.

Her walls contracted and squeezed him, wanting nothing more than to welcome him over and over again, almost sending him to the edge right there. Marco dropped on top of her, uncovering her top of her dress, enjoying how her breasts bounced every time he drew his cock in and out, his mouth immediately wrapping her right nipple and suckled. Star hissed, wrapping her arms around him, taking the pleasure that he was providing to her and she hoped she was more than enough to provide him with all the love her body could muster…she felt so close to the edge.

The boy on top of her felt the need to explode, ramming his hips with more strength than he anticipated, making the couch to shake under the combined weight and the strength of his thrusts.

"Deeepppeer! Faster!" Her screams encouraged him to take her legs and slam them on his shoulders, ramming his hips as hard as he could, skin hit skin with an echo that seemed to rattle their senses.

"S-Star! I am so clooose!" Marco growled in her ear, suckling her lobe into his mouth. The electricity was enough to send a chain reaction in her body, shaking without control of her actions, burying her fingers on his back and screaming his name she came hard, her velvet walls squeezed him in a tight grip, hungering for his seed.

The boy felt his eyes to roll to the back of his head before he blasted her hot insides with white, scalding her walls with his cum. Both collapsed in a tangle of limbs, deep smiles on their faces, breathing nice and hard.

Star rolled her hands down his sweaty back, placing a delicate kiss on his lips. "My wild man."

He smiled in response, kissing her tenderly and withdrawing himself from her, checking the towel that they had put under her for any unnecessary leakage towards the couch but there was not a drop in the fabric. Sighing, he pulled his pants up, cleaning himself up with the tissues on the empty nacho tray, giving some to his girlfriend so she could also clean herself just as she made herself presentable again.

Eowyn who had been napping inside of Marco's room and the very first thing she did was to snort as if she was disgusted with the smell of sex.

Laughing, the teenagers opened the back windows for that…wild monkey smell to start dispersing from the living room.

Star sighed, pulling her boyfriend close. "Sad to say that my safe days are over tomorrow, we can't really make love without me getting preggo." She smiled sheepishly. The boy smiled, tugging a strap of her gold hair behind her ear.

"It's okay Star…we've gotten away with it so far. I might need to…buy some condoms."

"Or I can go in the pill…do you think I can talk to your mom? She…uh, she might be understanding."

Marco coughed nervously, drawing a hand behind his back. "I…guess? Oh God, it's going to be so awkward."

She snorted. "You're such a cry baby, isn't he, girl?"

The warg sat on her haunches, looking at them with longing. As if sensing her needs, they looked at each other.

"I guess a walk to stretch our legs would be nice." Star said. "That couch is comfy, but not love making comfy, next time, it's your bed."

Marco laughed as he took a dog leash, hooking it to Eowyn's collar.

"Let's go then."

Just as they were about to get outside the house, Marco got a call from his mother. Frowning, he dug his phone from his hoodie, holding it to his face and pressed the speaker button.

"Hello?"

"Hi Marco, how are you and Star this fine morning?" The voice of Angie cut through the stillness of the teenagers.

"We're fine Angie!" Star said next to him.

The matriarch hummed in response. "Good to know. Your father and I were just checking out the land that Queen Moon will provide for us…500 acres Marco! Enough for a state, barracks for our soldiers and our own school! Progrress!"

Marco smiled. "Wow, that's a lot of land!"

"Yup, as soon as possible we'll begin to level where the buildings are going to be and treat the land where we will grow farming crops. It feels like my dreams are coming true, to prove education to anyone without rejecting them for who they are."

Star's eyes lighted up with emotion. "That's so noble of you! It is exactly what Mewni needs."

They could practically hear the squeal of happiness coming from the end of the line.

"Yes it is…by the way Star, your mother requires your presence in the Monster Temple, Princess duty as for you my son…" Her voice dropped, even from the distance she was in, he felt dread take hold of his body. "Be sure to be presentable…I don't want my son to be presented to your new people as a complete slob, do you hear me Marco Ubaldo Diaz?"

He couldn't not do anything but to automatically nod with Star holding her hands across her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"Good…we'll see you later!"

"Bye mom!"

"Bye Marco's mom!"

The went line dead with a click. The warg looked at her masters and growled with a mix of a whine, waving her fluffy tail.

"Awwww, I can't just say no to that face. C'mon girl." The royal couple smiled at the warg and away they went.

Two hours later they were back in the Mewman side, courtesy of Nachos who had taking a liking to the new member of the family; they waved at the dragoncycle who rubbed her nostril against Marco before she took off to the skies. Smiling as the reptile became a small dot in the sky, they were far more impressed by the giant line of people that stood at the gates of the city that seemed to extend forever. With surprise they watched as a CH-46 Chinook dropped a pile of boxes unto a platform that had been erected in the middle of the city where four National Guards were manning the station, along with dozens of cooks preparing meals on the go with tables that seemed to extend everywhere.

The Mewmans were together without segregation, xenophobia or bigotry. Everyone was hungry and in need of help.

A Mewman saw Star and Marco standing there in their regal clothing, his eyes widened.

"It's Princess Star Butterfly and Prince Marco!"

The line faced the other way and cheered in happiness with enough noise to quiet a storm. Smiling at the crowd they started walking and waving at everyone. Star even saw a particular familiar monster, the giant giraffe that used to work for Ludo holding his wife, a female giant giraffe with two bundles of joy pressed against her chest. The Princess couldn't help but to feel proud, walking all the way to the platform.

"Princess Star The Benevolent!" Cried one.

"Sir Marco of Earth! You rock dude!"

They looked at each other and smiled. The moment they walked closer and closer to the platform; they saw with confusion as several musicians were setting up an scenery where three familiar figures stood checking out their instruments while supervising the construction where they would perform.

Compelled to continue his profession as Mewni's Songstrel, Ruberiot tuned his instrument complete oblivious to the presence of Star Butterfly glaring daggers at him. The last time she saw him with an instrument was when he sung that song that started one of the worst fiascos in the Kingdom history and everything that followed after. What an ironic twist of events that such a person with such an insignificant profession was the responsible for almost destroying her life and those that she hold dear.

The Princess cleared her throat just as Mine Girl tapped the orange haired Mewman shoulder and pointed behind them.

"Hi guys!" Foolduke like always cheery personality softened the heart of the Princess just as Marco smiled in her direction.

"Hey! What's going on here?" The Prince smiled.

"Your highness." Ruberiot personality changed the moment he spotted them together. "We're providing the entertainment for the masses to calm their wild hearts and make everything easier."

Star smiled, the very short smile that she last gave Toffee before she killed him. Her eyes glowed with an icy cold, a fact that immediately the entertainers caught on.

"And may I know the name of the songs you're about to sing? You are not thinking of singing your first and ONLY single, right?"

Regardless if the current temperature was chilly, the musician tunic started to get tinted by the sweat that was running down his body. Foolduke cleared her throat, hitting her husband side with an elbow.

"Of course not!" She lied through clenched teeth. "We will sing traditional Mewman songs! Full of talks about things like our fighting spirit, mead, ale and other lore." Behind her, she made a motion to Mine Girl to kick the Star Butterfly puppet that was behind one of the equipment boxes, which she did, nervously smiling at the Princess.

Star hummed, relieved. "That's good, I am eager to hear what the _Resistance_ can play! Don't disappoint me." The moment she said this, she turned around towards the feeding stations. Marco stood there sighing as the entertainers started shaking with fear.

"Look guys…she's just under a lot of pressure, okay? Just don't do anything that can set her off like a bomb. I mean it." Marco told them with an easy-going smile.

"Uh, sure, everything will be alright Marco, we'll see you after the show." Foolduke waved as the Prince walked away. The dark-haired beauty couldn't help but to shudder. "Did you saw that glow?"

Mine Girl and Ruberiot nodded. "That was seriously scary…like this time she really, really wants to hurt me."

"Well love, don't do anything stupid, you hear Marco…whatever the _song of your soul _is telling you to do, burn that voice to the ground, you will soon have someone else to take care about it." She patted her stomach that was bulging over her baggy entertainer outfit. The musician couldn't help but to sigh with disappointment but he eventually nodded, going back to tuning his lute.

Now that they were sat, they were one of the many that were currently handing down steaming hot plates of Stew, rice and vegetables with plenty of bottled water to drink with several Royal Guards making sure that they would not dirty the city with the empty plastic. As Star and Marco waved at a young mother and her kid away, Marco sighed.

"Star, do you seriously have to threaten everyone that crosses you? I mean, I get it…I too would've wanted to get my way, but you're doing it unnecessarily sometimes."

The Princess looked aside. "You're right Marco but…I don't want to deal with the fallout just because they open their big mouths. I am under enough pressure as it is, I don't need another pile. I've busted my butt for this Kingdom, I know it isn't right but I feel that I've gained the respect that I need that puts weight in the title of Princess. I haven't done everything out the wish to get respect, but because it was the right thing to do. However, some people just don't deserve anything but your ire and I am done being a punching bag to whoever think they can cross me and walk away…I am so done with it…I am so sorry if this displeases you."

Marco smiled. "Look, no. I love you the way you are, just try to take it easy okay? Sometimes you don't know with what they're dealing with. Look at Ludo, he went on to being your swore enemy to actually being a very nice and kind monster who finally had found his peace, even my parents liked him."

The Princess couldn't help but to chuckle. "I guess life just throws you curve balls." She said as she motioned to the next family they were about to feed.

Star blinked. They were a little less plump, but she recognized the actors behind the Butterfly Follies. The man was completely shaved and looked somewhat downcast as her daughter stood disheveled in a dirty tunic with worn shoes; her hair was actually black. The Mewmans knew her the moment they stood face to face. As the second person with most power in the Kingdom, Star could send them away or even order their execution if she so pleased but she was far past that, though she did entertain the thought.

"Uh…hi, Princess Star Butterfly." The man began, twiddling his fingers, not even daring to make eye contact with her. By the way her eyes were staring intently at him, he felt the need to retreat, feeling that he was not going to get any food. The little girl, wrapped a hand around his midsection to reassure him.

"We'll be alright papa, let's go."

"No…wait." Star stopped them before they could leave, grabbing two trays which she and Marco filled it to the brim with stew and rice. "Please…enjoy."

"Oh thank you Princess! You're most kind…so…sorry about what we did." The man said looking away but that was as far as Star's kindness extended, she only made a motion for them to leave, not even sparing them a word. The former entertainers looked at each other and they left.

"Thank you for trying Star." Marco smiled, taking her hand under the table. The Princess was to quickly blush.

As promised, the day after Star and Marco stood in an arena in the Underworld. The demon had drawn the basic elemental sigil symbol for fire a distance away from the royal couple. He took a deep breath, his face scrunching in a furious expression before he drew his left leg forward and snapped his fingers. A massive explosion ran through the arena, throwing sand and pebbles through the air. Star and Marco covered their eyes from the blast and when the sound diminished Star was the very first to look through her clenched palms in shock at the crater that stood there.

"Wow…" She dabbled completely impressed.

Tom stood in the center of it, his hands behind his back. "Like I said back before. Sigils respond towards your intentions, your feelings…it feeds from you. You can use the same symbol just to start a small fire for your camp or for other basic duties like lighting up fireworks but if you want it to be useful against your enemies, you must feed your sigil with the intention to really hurt. The more your actions influences the sigil, the more power it will draw from you, so be sure to make its use to suit your needs. You can also draw your sigils unto objects so you do not have to do the job of drawing it time and time again. Like I demonstrated, you only need to snap your fingers to activate it. Do you want to give it a try? Let's just start with something very basic."

The demon placed a pile of papers on the ground and handed her a sharpie. "I want you to draw the sigil of fire and then activate it."

"Okay, I am sure I can do that." She told him confidently as Marco watched from the sidelines.

Taking the sharpie, she copied the symbol from memory, her innate attitude for magic taking over, guiding the sharpie by pure instinct. When she was done, she took distance away from the pile and lifted her right hand. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated long and hard in what she wanted the sigil to do. A basic action of setting fire to the paper, nothing else…her fury creeped around out of nowhere, her fingers shook with the need to seriously do some damage before her heart calmed down, breathing long and hard, squeezing her anger off, concentrating at the task ahead of her.

Her fingers snapped.

The lines of the sharpie glowed a rich orange before a magical fire was started, starting to consume the ream of paper. The feeling of discharging magic felt different this time. While she remembering throwing a Mewman magic spell, she felt a pleasant throb in her body, demon magic felt different. It was like there was a pull of energy from her that zapped her spirit, like jumping to a fast sprint before the feeling disappeared the moment, she took a deep breath, like replenishing your oxygen levels in your body.

Tom nodded at her success. "You felt that, right? That pull? That means it did its job. Always think about your actions and organize your thoughts before using it or you'll burn yourself…literally."

She smiled with satisfaction.

"We got less than a month to prepare, I will teach you whatever I can about elemental magic. Also, don't try to cast anything, ANYTHING outside this room okay? It is for your own safety."

Marco frowned as Star froze in the spot. "Please love, do as he says." He rolled her eyes as she jumped in surprise. Knowing her, she was already thinking of ways to use this new found ability of hers.

The demon rolled his eyes. "Thanks for having my back bro…but your instruction just won't end here. I know how much you hate books, but my great grandfather Relicor managed to procure this book about sigils for you to study." He handed her the very worn book, the moment she opened it, the demon writings transformed into easy to read English. "Do not skip chapters and please…do not practice outside of this room."

"Hey, I am not a child, you don't have to repeat yourself."

"Really?" Tom and Marco said at the same time just as the Princess scoffed.

"You're my fiancée, back me up in this Marco!"

"Well Star, he does have a point…you don't know with what you're dealing with…this looks very delicate. Besides, it's not the only thing we gotta do today. We're supposed to look for some new swords for our mission, remember?"

At the prospect of acquiring weapons and armor, the Princess smiled, completely giddy, a sentiment that was equally shared by Marco.

The demonic carriage deposited them towards a waiting King River who waved as Tom disappeared with a flash of fire.

"Star! Lad! Come here!" He hugged them against their barrel chest. While Star giggled at the attention, Marco growled, tapping his massive arms.

"Can't…breath."

Rolling his eyes, the King set them down. "Well, I believe we got some business to attend to. Let's see my friend Eddie! He's madder than a Warnicorn in a china shop, but he's a fine blacksmith…he'll have something for you ready, onward!" The walk towards his main shop wasn't far, with an appreciating eye, Marco smiled at a man with such a noble profession.

"Hello there!" The man compared to the somewhat rough dress from the Bog group, he was dressed in a simple white tunic with leather overalls, thick pants and leather boots with two thick leather gloves held with his left hand. "I did as much as I could in the time I was given, but I believe that you'll be proud to wield some of my fine steel! Feast your eyes!"

He took two long bundles wrapped in fine silk, giving one to Star and one to Marco. They unwrapped the cover like two kids going through their Christmas presents.

Star blade was finely crafted with a deep and rich blue, wrapped in finely crafted powdered gold that marked the Royal Crest with the sword guard shimmered with jewels and gold, the handle was wrapped in thick blackened leather and its polished pommel hexagonal pommel had a golden butterfly on it. Marco stared intently at the fine craftsmanship but rather than being impressed with it, Star instead cringed.

"Look…it is beautiful work, but this is not a sword that you would fight with…it's just a symbol of status or a wall hanger. I need something that I can use and take abuse. I don't want to announce my Royal status wherever I go, I cannot take this." She returned the blade towards the blacksmith who had an understanding eyes on his face.

He flickered some soot from his mustache and nodded. "Well, I do have other swords Princess, please take your pick, as for you Prince…how about you see if you like yours? I could only work with what my friend King River said about you and your experience."

Nodding, Marco uncovered his blade, throwing an analytical eye on it. The very first thing he noticed was that the style was similar to a Grosse Messer, a sword that renowned for its simplicity and effectiveness. Rather than its short counterpart, this one was longer, the glossy leather wrapped scabbard was simple yet extremely sturdy and nevertheless beautiful towards the young man. The sword guard was a long square piece about three inches with the end away from the edge dulled while the other extended into a full cross guard of his hand with two spikes embedded on it, the grip was a finely sanded down and dyed wood, the pommel was shaped into a beak that looked sharp on the end. Pulling the sword out with an excited grin, Marco lifted the sword in the air, appreciating the comfortable weight redistribution and the particular shape of the blade.

Curiously, the blade double edged sword width stood at two inches from the blade base, all the way towards its curved 35 inches long, ending in a mix of a trailing and a clip point for giving resistance for stabbing through armor if needed or chopping off easily. He enjoyed it immensely, putting it back into his sheath.

"Now that's a sword!" Star excitedly said.

"It isn't El Choppo…but this one is beautiful." Marco admitted.

"You got a fighter right there boy…now Princess follow me to the back and we'll see if ol' Eddie here can tickler yer fancy."

Star came some minutes later with a long sword with the pointed cross guard facing upwards in a perfect curve, its long grip featured a thick hexagonal pommel, perfect for blunt damage if the need arose. The Princess pulled the blade off its sheath and marveled at its simple yet effective construction. The blade was perfectly balanced in her hand, she loved that it was completely black rather than a shiny glossy steel look that so many swords usually had, it made her feel that she was holding something unique. She quickly went to her basic stance, the iron gate.

The King observed her with a proud gaze as she attacked an unseen enemy, thrusting her blade in a perfect move that never fail to impress Marco.

"I love this thing." Star smirked.

Eddie laughed. "Well, then I'll be happy to make the arrangements. You can pay me back later my King."

"C'mon Eddie, my old lad! None of that." The King deposited a large sack of coins into his waiting hands.

The month passed quickly.

It seemed just like yesterday when they stood face to face, panting in the very same spot where their worlds cleaved.

Just like a Mewman minute, time had passed on so quickly.

As promised by Tom, Star came to practice almost every day and to her surprise it came naturally to her. She was extremely proficient in the many sigils that Tom taught her, their meanings, functions and elemental power, passing lesson to lesson in mere minutes to the point where she had gotten several objects already carved with different sigils to speed up her spells. The pommel of her sword was carved with the fire sigil, able to launch ranged attacks by merely pointing out and snapping her fingers. The craftsmanship of her weapon was impressive enough to not warp from the heat and just as she discovered when had possession of the Royal Wand…she was very, very, very good at setting things on fire.

Angie was more than understanding when she came to her for some birth control pills. The Princess had embarrassingly dropped this on her lap but rather than being angry at being told openly that she was making love with her son, she had embraced her and gave her the knowledge that she needed. She was taking a big box of those pills with Marco buying a large box of condoms as a way to minimize the risk of pregnancy.

Star had left the conversation with Marco about Glossaryck appearance and his warnings, wanting nothing more than be distant from Mewni before they could sit down and properly talk about his ideas and to decide what they should do.

Still, it seemed that so many things had changed in a single month. The Butterfly castle was now taking shape with so many Mewmans, Monsters and humans working on it to restore it to its former glory. As promised by her mother, the land that was provided to her fiancée parents was finally being worked on. Many spots were cleared to start construction, giving many jobs to the Mewmans and Mewters that just wanted a change in their lives…regardless if species, Angie welcomed them all to work and provide for them.

Buff Frog had smiled deeply as his promises were fulfilled, looking with pride as the former Monster Village was starting to take shape, with many prefab houses being bought by Moon just as raw materials for those that wanted to do the work themselves. He had built a beautiful home in the rise of a hill with a large hollow stump with its large branches covering parts of the hill and a grassy top as its ceiling with coddled steps guiding it upwards towards a large swing seat for star gazing.

Marco and Star personally delivered many of the materials towards its construction, leaving him in tears as his children hugged him with nothing but love to his father.

The moment had finally arrived, now gathered in the Mewman port with many looking in awe at the vessel from the Island Kingdom of Vulpesh.

It was a very intriguing design of shiny bronze. Rather than being pulled by sails, this one worked with supercharged crystals that hummed with power and feed electricity to propel it to speed, with large metallic, gear shaped propeller. It was a decent size and big enough to carry over a 150 people. Mewman soldiers and some of the US Army troops had already boarded.

Marco was currently being examined by his mother who had worried immensely after crashing their goodbye party from their friends just yesterday, finding him half drunk in the couch.

"Did you pack your winter clothing?"

"I sure did." He smiled. "I packed everything that I need." He patted the giant Alice ruck strapped to his back loaded with dozens of things that he would need, including his sword that was wrapped around its ruck side with their armor tugged inside of its massive confines.

Rafael rolled his eyes. "You know Marco, even if the apocalypse would hit Earth, he'll find a way to be prepared."

The Diaz laughed.

On the other side Star just stood with her mother and the humanoid representatives.

Her mother couldn't help but to hug her close to the protest of the warg who disliked being squeezed between mother and daughter but she had to laid there until they separated.

"Be careful dear, do not rush into danger the first thing you see it coming, be smart and tact in your actions and words. I'll happily wait for your return." She kissed Star's cheek as the Princess smiled, wishing that things weren't such strained between them.

"I'll be alright mom. You'll see me before the Corn harvest."

The Queen laughed. "I am sure…I love you Star."

Star choked up with suppressed emotions and rather than saying it back, she smiled.

"I'll see you soon mom, be well."

Moon said nothing as she waved at her daughter as she parted from her, looking at her with longing before she shook her head and retired to the end of the port to see her go with a defeated look on her face. Once more she felt helpless to avoid the sadness as Star raced towards Angie's arms and hugged her close. Sighing, she swallowed her feelings, donning the iron mask of Moon The Undaunted.

The Diaz family and Star came apart from their hug. A deep whistle resounded from the vessel with the Representatives standing behind them.

"It is time Princess and Prince of Mewni. Let me bless your trip to complete your quest. Have a safe trip."

"Thanks." Star muttered her appreciation. "I am sure that we'll find them in no time. C'mon Marco! Race ya to our room!" A hearty laugh rattled from her throat racing towards the ship with Eowyn hot on her tail. The boy couldn't do anything but to sprint chasing his Princess, waving behind him.

The Diaz saw him go with pride in their eyes just as the Queen stared at the disappearing vessel with longing in her eyes.

An hour later, Marco and Star stood on the bow of the ship, observing the sea with deep smiles on their faces. Star drew her fist in the air, hugging Marco with the other.

"ADVENTURE!" She screamed as Marco laughed, embracing her closely.

Six sets of eyes watched from afar. A dark oak ship with compacted sails sat in cover behind a reef.

A macabre grin drew on the face of a spiky humanoid who licked his sharp teeth. His crew stood at attention just as his two mates couldn't help themselves but to smile sadistically.

"You denied us? Well then…I'll take something that will cripple you, forever. Set sail! The hunt begins!"

The crew howled murder to the winds.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: And so, it begins. Bit of a warning for the next chapter, it's gonna get bloody!

D4rK


	12. The White

**A/N:** This chapter gets quite bloody. Alexa, play Slayer – Raining Blood.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 12.**

The White.

It was impossible for the analytical mind of Marco not to notice the finer details of the vessel that was taking them across the icy water of this unexplored and uncharted ocean. Sure, the technology might seem inferior to the unimpressed mind of regular people but not to him. He enjoyed the ship seemed to glide over the water rather than across it, with the bow at an angled point, reinforcement by steel plating which he assumed was some sort of ice breaker, though he was confused about the two large spikes that protruded from the bow.

The function of it was actually fascinating. Four crystals focused their energy to a tube that sent the giant propeller behind the ship to move in a fast spiral of gold, with two giant pipes fed water through a heated tank that redistributed the hot water into propulsion, to move the vessel at a faster rate. The ship had a weather balloon attached next to the solid copper bridge. Several places of the ship were covered, he was going to assume that they were naval guns and if that didn't deter anyone from attacking them, four torpedoes were currently on deck, lowered to a launching tube. It was also equipped with metallic siege crossbows for defense and several harpoon guns loaded with grappling hooks for boarding or emergencies.

It was basically a Steampunk fan fantasy turned true. The ship's name was Skyhook, informed by the crew he stopped by; a fitting name by the way it was shaped.

Currently after an hour of sailing, they were below deck and Marco couldn't help again to be fascinated by its embellishment of the metallic and wood hybrid that made for most of the walls, with paintings in settings he did not recognize. He was particularly watching the map of the place they were going to, three islands with names he could not read and he wished that they had seek more information where they were going to, but the excitement of adventure with his Princess overwhelmed any desire for information.

The Captain, a very large humanoid brought them below deck of the ship, crossing his large arms behind him. Compared to the representatives, this one didn't particularly share the long-coned head but a shorter if not similar of appearance, with an elongated skull no more than a very large man. Compared to the pinkish hues of the representatives, the Captain skin was a dull gray, dressed with a quilted gambeson with golden details, thick leather pants and shiny black boots. His face was stern, almost like Miss Skullnick but compared to the somewhat burst of caring nature, this one lacked anything remoting the word.

"The Kingdom is divided into three islands. Bacion, the largest, Atreron the middle one and Loirilia as the smallest one. Each with their own functions. We will get to Bacion at a week's time where we will disembark at the Capital, Nunzalia where the Royal Palace is…where the Mewman Royalty." He pointed a firm finger towards Star and Marco, who waved with a smile at everyone present. "Will be given a ride and speak to our King, King Konu Pruvoe, may the spirits guide his hand." He tipped his head slightly as he said this with the rest of the crew that surrounded them doing it as such. "Lunch will be served in two hours…please do not touch anything." There was a threatening grunt that escaped his mouth, staring down with steel in his eyes at the Mewman and US soldiers as he said this before turning around and leaving to his quarters.

The Prince and Princess exchanged a look. "Jeez, that guy needs to take a chill pill." Remarked Marco as he stood next to Eowyn, who had gotten larger by the passing month, almost to the size of a six months old Golden Retriever.

Star was many things but silent was not one of them, she kept staring at the spot that the Captain had just left.

"C'mon Marco, we need to talk." She told him with a seriousness that caught him off guard, interlacing her fingers with his, dragging him towards their room a level down, in the lower decks. Their room was medium sized with stone flooring and an oxidized copper wall that was decorated with strange plans in stone pots. The four posted bed was of a dark oak with fur blankets and black pillows in which Star sat the moment they entered the room with Eowyn placing her front paws on the desk that faced the moving sea, being strangely fixed by it.

The teenagers parted their gaze from the warg, sighing before sitting on bed, their fingers still intertwined.

Star paused to gather their thoughts before she took a deep breath.

"I think that we're about to start with the thing about not telling each other details that are sort of important. I know that you saw Glossaryck…why didn't you tell me?" Her gaze was stern with a tint of anger, challenging him openly with a raised eyebrow.

Marco blinked, ashamedly looking aside. "I…we just went through a gut-wrenching experience Star…you looked so happy with me. I didn't have the heart to ruin your happiness, I hate to see you sad…it breaks me apart."

The Princess gaze softened, squeezing his hand in a tighter hold. "Thank you, Marco…I know we love each other but…" She closed her eyes, letting out a sad sigh. "You know that our lives will never be normal. These things, the weight of the future rest upon our shoulders. We have so many depending on us, I know you don't want to see me to keep messing up my teenager years. Where we should be partying with our friends, having our Nacho eating friendship Thursdays and just chill and relax." She looked at him with longing. "Things are different now…you made me a promise and I make the promise to you as well. We're a team Marco and to be a team, we need to play by the same rules, okay?"

Marco took a deep breath and exhaled. "I did promise you that I would whatever it took to be with you…this is just another obstacle."

"And what do we do with obstacles, Marco?" She smiled with amusement.

"We jump over them, together." They high fived each other before collapsing in a hug in a fit of giggles, rolling around the bed like children. The warg parted her gaze from the waves, looking at her owners and tilted her head disapprovingly before returning her vigilant gaze to the ocellated waters.

After their shenanigans, they both were to quickly find out that the entertaining in a ship can be a little bit…lacking. Star didn't possess the patience like her boyfriend and neither his enthusiasm for investigation. While Marco found the exquisite details and inner workings of the ship a marvel of technology that wasn't different from Earth a century late, the Princess just saw it as any ship. It didn't matter that the crew informed them that they've planted magnetic sentries that were caught by the navigation system to follow the trail back which detected the magnetism and they were divided in frequencies to have a bearing though still Star couldn't help but to chuckle at Marco's childish like enthusiasm at learning. He was like a sponge that was always hungering for information.

While the bridge was impressive and certainly more tech savvy that the Mewman Navy counterpart which still used the wind to move their ships…it made her feel awkward. It was her first day on Earth once more trying to fight against a water fountain. She knew that Mewmans were insufferable and stubborn to adapt to new things, technology will certainly bring an easiness in their lives and she hoped that she could still supply the Mewmans with a labor force to bring it to this century.

Her mother was completely right, they needed to modernize, the plans that Star was having about such an event would be costly but effective in the long run.

To pass the time they sparred on a space that had being cleared out for them. Their moves caught the eyes of many with the fluidity and the ferocity of their attacks resounded through their ears. The deep impact of wood against wood along with their snarls parry by parry, block by block, counter attack and counter cutting were observed by the bewildered crew of the ship.

The Captain especially was openly agasp at their skills looking at them through the glass windows of the bridge.

"You think that this will make things difficult for _them?_" Hissed one of his officers while crossing his arms. "They're just kids."

"As if." The Captain growled at his First Officer making the humanoid to squirm. "You dare to defy the choice of the spirits themselves? Nobody is a match for the Red Hand, nobody."

The Officer grunted his acknowledgement. "As long as we're getting what was promised to us, I could care less."

Growling, the man smiled briefly. "You and me both."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dinner was what Star could describe a rarity of fish and beef that had been dried for the journey. It wasn't bad but neither it was passable, Marco made up for it by cuddling against her, enjoying how the sea pulled them closer by each movement of the waves. They slept dreamlessly as the ship kept sailing South, by now, the temperatures were started to significantly drop closer and closer to the zero mark with the passing of the time. Already, ice was lodging on the ship, yet surprisingly the deck was dry so they didn't really slip, though by now Star was feeling a little bit uncomfortable with the chilling cold. If Mewni was cold in winter time, this was something else entirely.

At night, they could see the stars like a giant fountain of lights. The blues, purples and black mixed in a perfect blend of beauty unparallel by anything else in the planet, with the stars paving the sky with luminescent lights. Several of the US Army took pictures, amazed as they were. A young Corporal got close enough to the couple.

"Beautiful ain't it? He smiled, removing his helmet.

"Oh yeah…nothing like this at home." Smiled Marco, cuddling his girlfriend at his side, with the warg warily watching the soldier from the corner of her eyes.

"I'm Carl." The soldier presented himself offering his hand to Marco who took it, offering it them to Star who found the gesture reassuring of his honesty.

"Well Carl, what do you think of being sent as escort for this mission?" Star asked curiously, eyeing the way that their Mewman Knights gave the soldier the stink eye. Typical Mewman hospitality for those who weren't one of them.

The young man shrugged. "What's the difference? I go wherever they need me. No questions asked."

Accepting his words seemed easier than done. The Mewmans soldiers instead seemed wary instead of them as expected with her people being so shy and xenophobic, meeting new people was always such a problem from them, though Star could see how some had amicable set up a board and playing dice with the US soldiers. Wherever they went, dice was a common way for gaming, no matter what dimension they were in…boredom had a way to get people together.

The next day Star groaned, roused from her sleep by the orange, green and blue hues from her window. She blinked, rubbing her eyes, her torso lifting from their bed making Marco groan who had his arms wrapped around her hips with his head pressed against her stomach. Looking at the annoyance that was coming from her window. She blinked, awakened immediately, slowly but firmly she tapped Marco on his shoulders. The boy groaned with some annoyance, blinking and looking at her while yawning loudly.

"Star?" His voice croaked in surprise.

"Marco, look." She took his head and pointed at the window before the very same reaction came from him as well. Slowly, the teenagers rose from the bed, propping their elbows at the table and stared in awe at the visual spectacle that came from the sea. The northern lights were always a welcoming sight, no matter where you were. The green, blue and purple hues mixed with the brightness of the stars twinkling for them. Her hand reached for his, taking it and squeezing his fingers. They smiled at each other among the stars and the winter lights, looking at the dark ocean with the whitish shapes of icebergs in the distance. The air seemed to get colder inside their cabin; shuddering, Marco retrieved his thick red parka, putting it around their shoulders, cuddling against each other.

For a moment Marco thought he saw the outline of a shape in the distance but he dismissed that thought. They were alone in this cold sea after all. Once more their eyes started to get heavy with the hypnotic sight of their sights, if it wasn't for the already larger warg bumping on their legs the Mewman royals would've dropped right there on the table. Smiling in appreciation, Marco and Star hopped back in bed with Eowyn climbing on the bed, falling on her back so they could pet her stomach. Chuckling under the breath they gave her a such needed scratch until their motions stopped all together, finally falling sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A distance away two sleek ships observed the vessel that shimmered in the darkness. The ships were reminiscence of a Chinese Junk ship and a Portuguese Lateen ship, with sails at an inverted in a 'against the wind' pattern, angling making it a very stealthily vessel with its diminutive and minimalist sail design. Its thick dark hull easily mixed with the waters and the icy skies that was shadowed by clouds, obscuring the moon as the two vessels moved calmly towards their target.

Its Captain, a humanoid with spikes protruding from his face and heavy travelling cloak, billowing in the winter wind. Lowering his binoculars, two more humanoids stood next to him, crossing their spiked limbs.

Without turning around, the Captain's mouth opened displaying razor sharp teeth.

"Open port side guns, tell the men to have the boarding grappling hooks at the ready, fire on my command…if those Mewman bastards survive, bring 'em to me…I want to fashion their heads to my belt"

Grinning savagely the humanoids retired to inform the crew.

The time for payback was finally here.

With a clank, the wooden ports came off with giant tubes pushed through, aiming directly at the golden ship. The crew was moving at a fast rate, uncovering several large guns, including a large cannon in a swivel as the Captain looked down. Nodding at everything was that up to his satisfaction, he lifted a hand, looking at his crew once more, he grinned, lowering his hand violently.

The moon glowed through the clouds, its red light piercing even through the thickness of their cover awakening Marco immediately from his sleep. If you think that something is wrong. If you have that creepy, crawling sense of doom, panic and fear that settled in a cocktail of chemicals at the back of your mind, you better fucking listen to it. Eowyn rose her head from the floor, jumping to her paws before the deafening sounds of cannon fire cracked the stillness of the sea.

Star and Marco were jolted awake by a violent tremor and the groan of metal. Their eyes flew open as the ship vibrated brutally, shaking their bed and their belongings loose, clattering to the floor.

"What the hell is going on?!" Star screamed through the sounds that resounded through the hallway. By the time she looked around, Marco was already getting dressed, a serious expression on his face. "Marco!"

"Star! We're-." Hissed the boy, cut in mid words as the ship lurched from side to side. They looked out of their window to see a dark shape lightening across the seas with fire and brimstone firing at them with another bigger one traversing to them. The teenagers looked at each other and hurried up dressing. Star hissed as the sound of screams, detonations and feet stomping through the hallway hastened her time to get dressed in her Bog Beast attire with a blackened cuirass. She turned around so Marco could secure the back belts that held it securely in place. Her fiancé threw her sword at her, catching easily with her hand. Marco carried his giant backpack and they faced the music.

"Eowyn stay! You'll be safe here." Marco ordered, rushing with Star on their way to the deck.

The very first thing they noticed was the red, orange and yellows that seemed to glow from the stairs that guided them towards the upper levels. Looking at each other, they laced their fingers together, rushing upstairs only to find carnage in their wake. Another blast of cannon fire came their way, guillotining a Mewman soldier as he tried to come their way and when he dropped dead, Star with dread saw the state of the deck that had looked so pretty, now it was bustling with activity, blood, bodies and scattered limbs. A crescendo of cannon fire came from the ship they were standing towards the looming dark shape only for it to move at a quick rate, traveling further starboard to avoid their short-ranged guns, the cannon balls scattering in the icy waters.

In the bridge, the Captain and his officers covered their eyes as fragments from the reinforced glass chipped off with the violent impact.

"Who the hell is shooting at us?!" He protested. "Attack with everything we have, then retreat. We'll drawn them out closer to land!" He ordered. Screams resounded through the echoing PA system. Compared to the agile ship, the Vulpesh vessel was a barge that had been retro fitted with armament along with its highly decorative interior in an effort to impress those that rode in the bowels of such vessel. It was lightly armored as it was lightly in the slow side. The crystals hummed with power as more of their juice was extracted to propel the ship with more power, increasing their speed to twenty-five knots.

The spiked Captain grinned. "Give her more speed, get us closer! Till we see the white of their eyes."

With a blood thirsty laugh, the bootleggers doubled the efforts, with the now approaching bow coming at them full speed. The US Army soldiers opened up with their carbines, lacking heavy weaponry, their bullets whistling by the attacking ships to no veil. Their wood was heavily reinforced, close to the quality of steel and nothing seemed to penetrate it. By the way of the ship angles, the enemy vessel crew was completely covered from the ensuing gun fire. The soldiers blinked at each other, thinking of their unpreparedness for such unprecedented event, to think that a foreign ship running on sails was kicking their ass, that's the only feeling that the 12 man squad felt at the moment before a salvo of cannon fire came from the two dark vessels, forcing the men into cover.

Star who had seen the entire spectacle snarled in white anger, not caring in the slightest as hot lead rained around her. Marco took her by the hand with a hiss, forcing her down.

"Star, are you crazy?! Get to cover!" To his complete astonishment, she quickly looked at him and winked.

"Have some faith, will ya?" She booped his nose before standing and running for two Vulpesh crewman from loading a cannon ball into their weapon.

"Hold it!" She quickly took the heavy ball of steel in her hand like it was nothing, surprising the humanoids.

"What yer doing little girl!?" Hissed the Captain, coming down from the bridge, spit flying from his mouth. Two cold blue eyes snapped in his direction, stopping him in his tracks, his mouth opening and closing in disbelief as his body started doing times, fear lodging in his stomach.

"It's a surprise." Star told him with a grin.

Drawing a black dagger, she carved the symbol for fire on the cannon ball, throwing it down the tube as the crewman rammed it home. "FIRE!" The Captain ordered just as Star jumped on top of the railing, looking as the rounds went flying with a colossal bang, rifling her long hair. Knowing how much these humanoids sucked at firing, the salvo went over the main ship, dispersing over the second smaller vessel.

The moment the hot chunk of lead passed over the second enemy ship, she snapped her fingers. The projectile was a literally a red speck as the demon magic ran its course, burning hotter and hotter until it burst with a white flash.

A massive bang of hot fragments rained down the enemy vessel, tearing many of the crew apart with pained screams that echoed in the night, scattering their bodies on the deck, the sky lightening with brimstone and the flash of death, stunning the confident Captain at the other side, watching in disbelief as his sister ship seemed to explode out of nowhere, tilting on its side, burning into the icy waters with its crew screaming in pain as they jumped overboard, many on fire. Back in the Vulpesh vessel, the crew raised their arms up and cheered at the destruction of the enemy ship, but they were not out the woods yet.

Star groaned, literally feeling the physical effort it had taken off her, close to falling over board for how much it had taken off her, if it wasn't for Marco who caught her, she would've fallen overboard.

She shook her head violently, blinking, waiting for the sky to stop spinning.

"Did…did we get it?"

Regardless of how worried he had gotten, Marco chuckled. "One down! But we got one more to worry about."

"Im…Imma get it." She tried to stand up but fell down on the deck again. Marco sighed, taking her shaking head into his hands.

"Star, don't do that again! You heard Tom, it will kill you."

She smiled at how worried he sounded for her, despite of the violent wave of dizziness, she couldn't help to nuzzle her cheek into his chest, hearing his heart beating into his chest, sending the boy into an embarrassed smile.

The Vulpesh Captain groaned as they spotted land not very far from where they were, going back to the bridge with a smirk. What their enemy didn't expect was the heavy plumes of fog that seemed to come out of nowhere the moment they got closer and closer to coast. The Vulpesh vessel seemed to disappear from view, using its more advanced navigation techniques to get faster without the ill weather to distract them from their current course. The moment the ice started to condense in their path, the Vulpesh vessel broke through with its reinforced bow, ordering his First Officer to do a violent turn in a zig zag line in an effort to use the bad visibility to force them into the ice, but that didn't happen.

Stubbornly the spiked skinned Captain had followed its path, with an expertise at navigation that irritated the Vulpesh Captain. Lacking pursuit guns, the enemy vessel seemed to gain speed through the turbulent and icy waters just as the shape of the distant mountains were painted in the horizon, tilting on its broadside, the vessel let out a volley of hot lead that this time connected with the Vulpesh vessel in a ferocious effectiveness, shredding its propulsion system, the crystals housing cracking under the onslaught of the enemy cannon fire, immediately losing speed with many of the crystals shredding under such punishment.

"BASTARDS!" Hissed the Captain, observing immediately that their speed diminished. "Tell those useless morons to fire with everything we have! I mean all of them! Or we're not going to make it!"

The First Officer immediately exited the bridge, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Fire! Fire at will! Crew all weapons!"

The Vulpesh crews immediately manned every siege crossbow in their disposal, aiming at the shadow of the enemy vessel and firing but unfortunately her speed was too much for the slow-moving projectile to even reach a considerable distance away. Even the Army soldiers were having difficulty hitting their target with effectiveness due their limited training and even lower visibility, they were ill prepared for such engagement.

"Full speed ahead!" The Captain ordered. "I don't care if we destroy our engines, we need to get to land, now!"

"But sir! We can maroon the ship." Protested his first officer. The humanoid was violently grabbed by the neck by the larger Captain.

"Do as I say! We'll use the Red Hand to assist us! We can't outrun them in this pathetic thing we call a ship, this ain't no war ship!"

Doing as they were told, they ran full speed ahead towards main land, just as the outline of the coast was displayed into their gazes. The sea of white seemed to stretch before them, with large icy hills in the distance. The Captain couldn't be happier to see land, yet his pursuers were not done yet, going at full speed, pursuing the fleeing vessel with murderous intent, disregarding their very lives for vengeance alone, finally spotting the Vulpesh barge, turning its bow directly into dry land, with a few hundred feet from the coast.

"Screw this! Ram the bastards!"

Grinning, the sails were extended completely, propelling the agile vessel to its maximum speed, trailing their stern. With a growing sense of horror, the Vulpesh crew suddenly realized their intent, swinging their shorter-range crossbows, firing dozens of projectiles in the air, the bolt arcing downwards hitting the now vulnerable crew, hitting many but it was far too late. The bow of the enemy vessel hit the Vulpesh barge with a violent impact, blasting their hull wide open, the crystals bursting violently, exploding in a violent show of sparks and shrapnel that spread through the deck, the bridge exploded in pieces, killing everyone in the bridge and the way to steer what remained of the barge. Star herself received a chunk of hot copper beneath her right eye, screaming in pain at the hot piece of metal piercing her skin, rattling her teeth in agony.

Marco remained unscathed through the ordeal, screaming with horror at his beloved wrenching with pain. He saw the offending material, cringing for what he was about to do.

"Please don't hate me." He took a hold of it and ripped it from her skin, earning a blood curling scream, adding to the ones already resounding through his ears, with many Mewmans either dead or wounded and even some US Soldiers were completely unresponsive, lying still on the deck.

The ship lurched into its portside as the enemy ship caught fire. Through the flames, the rush of screams came from the enemy vessel, dozens of spiked humanoids rushing through the flames, boarding them, brandishing swords, jumping into the Vulpesh vessel. The enemy Captain licked his lips with enjoyment as he run through his very first victim, a Mewman soldier who was just coming around from the explosion, gurgling blood as he fell overboard. Laughing, the humanoids rushed towards the wounded without mercy like a plague. Slowly, the US soldiers started shooting, cutting some of the humanoids down with their bullets but they kept coming without disregard for their weapons, using their superior agility to jump and move in an inhuman way, quickly reaching them and attacking, killing their Sergeant with a swipe that took his head.

Star groaned as she came from the high of her pain, coming from her stupor just as a spiked humanoid saw them and screamed, rising his sword high in the air with a sadistic peel of teeth. A black blur came from his side, jumping and opening her jaws wide, tearing his neck into a meaty crunch of bones with a scream of agony, growling as she tasted her first kill, gnawing and tearing his neck with a splatter of blood on her black fur.

"Atta girl." Marco congratulated her as he observed the situation around them. His analytical mind realized that the ship was lost and any attempts to regain superiority would meet complete failure. He saw that the coast was close enough that it would be their best chance of survival, now dealing with the winter and the night time would be a different story. He was about to inform the Princess of his plan when from the smoke and flames, the outline of more humanoids appeared through the fog rising their swords in blood thirst, breaking through the smoke screen with sadistic grins.

Star breathed hard, looking at Marco, coming to terms for what she was about to do, gripping her sword harder.. Sensing her distress, Marco took her trembling hand in his.

"I am right behind you, mi Estrella…if you're not ready for what's coming, I'll understand."

The nicety of his tone wasn't lost on her and it broke through the terror she was feeling in her heart.

"I don't want to die here." Her tone was firm and resigned for what was coming. With no magic and in danger of being hurt badly due her inexperience with demon magic, she prepared to do what she had to do. She didn't want to do it, but nobody forced these beings to attack and kill them.

The humanoids saw them and attacked and this time Star was more than prepared cleaning some of her blood that trailed down her cheek, screaming with a shriek that seemed to stun the two men, looking at her cold blue eyes in fear, staring at their very souls, paralyzing them where they stood. She prayed to her ancestors that would run off, but the effects of the terror she displayed was gone the moment they saw her sword, attacking more out of instinct than reason.

So be it.

The first humanoid eyes were looking like they were about to pop out as Star came over him, sword held at in her hand, knocking his sword aside as he reacted by a pure survival instinct trying to block her thrust but he couldn't never be a match for someone as strong and fast as the Mewman Princess, easily driving her sword into his gut until her spiked guard was all the way into his body, spitting blood as the weapon was withdrawn with a meaty suckle with the pirate eyes bulging out, falling on his knees just as the second humanoid attacked low, which she easily parried and side stepped, flanking him and went through his weak stance, slashing at his neck, tearing through tendon and sinew with a quick stroke of her blade, an arc of blood dissipated through the fog, splattering her armor with gore. She shuddered at the contact of the filthy liquid and was grateful when the humanoid fell dead to the floor.

"We need to get out of this ship Marco!"

Marco didn't even react as she spilled blood for the very first time directly, too concentrated in staying alive.

"Swim! Jump!" The boy ordered; both quickly ran towards the side of the ship before their steps was interrupted by more pirates rushing them. A Mewman soldier that had survived the attack dove into battle, running a pirate while slashing at another at his stomach, spilling his guts on the deck. The moment he saw the Royal couple, he smiled.

"Princess Star! Prince Marco, it's good to see you. It's not safe here, we need to leave! We're close to sh-" His words were interrupted by a sword piercing his throat from behind as the couple screamed in surprise. The Mewman tried to articulate some words that got tangled in the blood that was spilling like a fountain from his neck. The sword was retrieved gruesomely, tearing a chunk of his neck, close to beheading him, resting still on the floor. The enemy Captain laughed along with several of his men, brandishing his blood-soaked hooked sword, licking his sharp teeth in delight.

"Mewman filth…where do you think you're going?" He laughed with a savage grin.

"You bastard! You'll pay for that!" The Princess growled with an angry peel of her teeth.

Marco and Star immediately brandished their swords, saying nothing just as the warg jumped in the middle, her blood-stained teeth cringing with a savage growl. The enemy crew cringed at the bloodied Star and her blue eyes that sparked with murder, ignoring even the more experienced combatant that was Marco who was lazily holding his sword against his right shoulder with a wide stance, together with the violent and fiery animal that was their companion, they seemed to hesitate to go for the attack.

The Captain took a few seconds to contemplate his opponents. The Princess certainly had his attention, while her brazen attitude was dead give away of her hardcore fortitude for combat, she was warrior plain and simple. The boy at first glimpse didn't even possess what could be called a concern, but the looks could be deceptive and he knew that was exactly what the boy was portraying. Behind his lazy stance laid the steel in his eyes, hardened by years of combat and killing, who was not even bothered at being surrounded by the multitude of his crew who yearned for their blood. Despite of this, the Captain ignored his instincts that told him to run, his need for vengeance overcoming any desire for salvation but the seriousness of his face informed his crew about the seriousness for what was about to occur, grinning widely, he was really going to enjoy this.

"Attack!" The Captain ordered.

A dozen humanoids rushed the Royal couple and their warg, their screams echoing through the flames and the pained moans of the mortally wounded.

Star flew into a rage, flecks of spit coming off with a blood thirsty scream that paralyzed the very first humanoid in front of her, her inhibitions for killing erased from her mind, quickly being dispatching it by separating his head from his shoulders, blocking a swing with her sword guard from another humanoid, kicking with her right leg and forcing the man back, pushing him against two other humanoids that were quickly dispatched by Marco, with his swift agility, he cut off the arm sword of one and then cleaved the second man through the face, the halves staring at the humanoids, breaking their berserk state to stare in fear as the lips tried to utter a word before he fell to the floor.

"Whatchu standing around for?! KILL EM ALL!" The Captain ordered, feeding their blood lust once more, all at once attacking with fervor.

The warg snarled, propelling forward with a bust of speed, jumping to rip the throat off a humanoid, jumping aside to avoid a lance that would've pierced her still developing body, her head swinging towards the offending weapon, biting in two and launching herself at the humanoid, tearing his arms into chunks, the screams of its former user twisting and screaming in agony stunning their enemies for a brief second. Using their shock as their best weapon, Star and Marco crashed against their enemies, unleashing brutality.

They stabbed two enemies at the same time, withdrawing their swords from their dying bodies, each parrying a swing, jumping back and stabbing at their assailants through the throat, kicking their mortally wounded enemies and coming for seconds. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, every single block, parry, counter cut and attack met their mark, using trickery and faints to draw the enemies in, painting the deck with their blood and body parts. With every stroke of their blades, the enemy numbers were growing thin and Star and Marco knew it that they were literally carving their way to the enemy Captain who sent his First Officer into the fight, his axe coming in an upwards stroke that forced the couple to separate, letting him go through their faint, which gave him the confidence to quickly turn around in a wild swing aiming to cleave Star's face in two which she side stepped and thrusted her weapon meeting her mark against his unprotected shoulder.

The humanoid howled in pain, screaming in ferocity, drawing a dagger from his mismatched belt and attacking Marco instead, misjudging his lack of emotion for fear of attacking. It was the last thing he would do, butting Star on the face with the flat blade of his axe, gyrating her face to the side from the impact. She growled under her breath, smirking fully as the pirate attacked Marco with a fierce scream, cutting the distance between them as Marco patiently waited.

With a finesse that rivaled a custom car, Marco simply took a step in a diagonal manner and stroked his neck with the edge of his Messer, the pirate passing him by and stopping, like paralyzed in time just as Marco fell back into his lazy stance once more, Star giving him a grin as she brushed her stinging cheek with a triumphant laugh of her own.

The moment the humanoid turned around, he was missing a chunk of his neck, blood already running down his body, his hands twitched, letting go of his axe as his eyes rolled to the back of the head and he fell, joining the many dead on the deck.

Snarling with a scream that echoed through the crack of the fire, the enemy Captain looked around his torn men and then to his own ship, shaking his head at his own idiocy. Seemingly the power couple thought the same, shaking their heads but never lowering their guard.

"Who the hell are you? And why did you attack us?" Star questioning him, her blue eyes piercing him through earning a smirk from the spiked humanoid.

"It doesn't matter now." The humanoid said, cracking his neck, drawing a short moon axe behind him.

"Yes, it does! We were in a mission for peace and you killed everyone you bastard." Star growled, advancing threateningly towards him with the intent to kill before Marco cut her way in, surprising the Mewman Princess.

"You have no intention to say anything, right?" Marco asked him with an air of finality.

Chuckling under his breath, the humanoid licked his chapped lips.

"You're a sharp lad but I ain't going down quietly. Vengeance will be ours, mark my words." The moment he said this he threw his axe at Star with surprising speed, if it wasn't for Marco's blade catching the weapon in midair it would've hit her. The warg jumped and fetched between her strong jaws like a ball in midair, wagging her tail, but they didn't have time to praise her as the Captain drew a grenade from his pocket, lighting a fuse with the two spark ring fingers he wore, throwing it on the deck. A deep plum of smoke spread through the bloodied deck, making the couple and the warg to start coughing, covering their faces with a hand adding to the confusion.

A sharp sound caught Marco's ears as he instinctively blocked the thrown weapon, barely being able to side step the powerful swing from the humanoid that busted from the shadows, too fast for his human eyes to follow, yet his instinct made him drive his sword upwards to block a savage swipe and it saved his face from being cleaved in two. The humanoid growled as he pushed forward but Marco didn't move an inch, letting him into a power play, letting him using his strength to try to push him before Marco relieved the pressure in their weapon hold, side stepping and swinging to the right as the humanoid was pushed forward due their momentum, slashing at his calf.

Howling in agony, the humanoid looked at the bleeding gash with more amusement than pain, surprising Marco. Laughing, the humanoid drew his hand into his wound, bringing his lips and licking at his own blood, grinning at their discomfort. The pirate attacked with an inhuman jump at twenty feet, crashing against the deck with a massive impact that left a cracked dent on the deck,sending his axe flying against Star's guard, sending her back from the strength of the blow just as the Captain ducked under Marco's swing, counter cutting at his neck which Marco redirected to the side, using his free hand to punch the humanoid in the solar plexus, sending him crashing against the burning remains of the bridge door. Shaking his head, the Captain casually extinguished the flames that were biting into his clothes, jumping from the crushed wood around his body, landing besides the body of a Mewman soldier.

Star looked down and growled, her grip tightening, her blue cold eyes reflecting in her blood-soaked blade. She switched her stance to ox, pointing the sharp tip of her sword at him as he smirked, launching himself against them, jumping over Marco's swing and unnaturally twisting his body in midair, swinging backwards as he fell into a cart wheel. Marco saw the move come and just took a step back, driving his sword down and with a move that surprised the Captain himself, he easily hooked the clipped part of his blade, biting into the handle of his axe, trapping it from the odd angle of his Messer successfully, twisting his sword, forcing the axe from the Captain's hand, launching the weapon overboard, disarming the humanoid.

Blinking in disbelief, the Captain looked at the hand that had been holding his weapon seconds ago, blinking as Star and Marco advanced, pointing their swords at him with the warg sitting on her haunches, growling at him.

"Surrender." Marco said, stabbing him with a look that left no room for argument. "You lost."

Rather than feel threatened, the Captain shook his cape, a dozen explosives falling from his attire. With a maniac laugh, the Captain kicked some at them, forcing the couple to jump aside to avoid the explosion. Except nothing happened, the moment Star hit the floor, the humanoid drew a throwing knife, rising his hand before a loud bang ran through the air.

The Captain looked at his chest where a small hole resided. Blinking in disbelief, his eyes were dimming in confusion as his body started bleeding out from the wound. Just as he raised the knife again in a last attempt to launch it, three more bangs came from out of nowhere, cutting him down, finally falling to the ground with a last breath leaving his lungs in a blood mist.

Blinking, the couple looked at the savior to be none other than the soldier who they had a short conversation with. He was shaking badly from the knife that was sticking in his gut, very close to the cracking flames. The soldier briefly smiled, throwing his rifle at the feet of the couple before his face looked at the snow flurries that fell around them and into a fiery hole in the deck, disappearing from view.

"No!" Star jumped to her feet in a wasteful effort to save him, but it was too late. A burst of flames came from the hole, forcing the princess to back down. The ship shook violently as the pirate ship finally tore up from the barge's stern almost making them fall to the deck, rolling many supplies and dead bodies around with the violent sound of crashing wood. The barge dipped upwards catapulting Star in the air briefly, a scream tearing from her throat as she fell on her feet, breathing hard at the destruction around them.

"Star, you okay!?" Marco called out from the ground.

She absently nodded without saying anything, instead paying more attention to the current of cold water running all over the deck. Despair stabbed into her.

"We're sinking, we need off, now!" She hissed through clenched teeth, looking at the coast that was now less than a hundred feet of water between them. Marco saw the water with alarm, looking at the cold sea between them. Shuddering with how cold the water was already going to be, he resigned to his fate. It was swimming for their lives or drowning.

Yet Star obliged him by standing him up, drawing her dagger from her belt.

"Marco hold unto me…this is going to suck but I don't want to add hypothermia to the pains I've felt."

He didn't even question, he just did it sheathing back his sword, ushering Eowyn to stand between them as the warg looked at her owners questioningly.

"At three, kick down with all your strength." She drew her breath in, concentrating and drawing a piece of wood from her satchel with a sigil, tapping it and feeling its power against her hand. "One…two…three!" Immediately the teenagers kicked down with enough strength to tear planks off the deck, the already damaged floor giving in but before gravity could take them, Star snapped her fingers.

A whirlwind of wind gusted them up in the air, picking them up and throwing them in an arc as the teenagers screamed from the top of their lungs, loosing their footing in mid air with the warg howling in alarm. The Royal couple hit the coast with a grunt of pain, skidding off the snow and resting in the indented snow, groaning in agony with the plank falling after a few feet from them. The warg rose from the snow, shaking it from her fur and looked for her owners, licking at Marco's face.

The teenager shuddered as her saliva froze on his cheek, shaking snow flurries from his head. Hissed in pain, he stood up looking for his girlfriend, looking at the sinking ship with despair in her eyes.

"Star? Are you alright?"

No! She wasn't alright! Was the thought that popped into her mind, forcing those words down. This wasn't the time to snap at him, they needed to get their bearings.

"I…I am okay, what are we going to do?" She rubbed her aching hands, wishing she had put on some gloves. As if sensing her discomfort, Marco threw the heavy pack on his back, going through them and finding two purple winter gloves for her to wear, handing them to her. She smiled at how thoughtful he was, regretting to ever make fun of him to be prepared for everything.

Marco looked at the barren wasteland that had neither a beginning or an end, the snow flurries making it difficult to look at the horizon.

"We need to get out of this and seek shelter or the winter night will kill us. If we can find some copse of trees, I can make a tent. It should protect us against the worse of the wind"

Smiling as the plan took form, she couldn't help but to frown, looking at the sinking ship with the bow starting to point upwards.

Marco saw the gesture and immediately he put his hand on her armored shoulder.

"This isn't your fault." He saw immediately through her sadness. "Nobody knew this was going to happen…"

"I know but…" She sniffed. "This is my fault…if I wasn't insisting in a childish adventuring, none of this would've happened…they died for nothing."

He shook his head. "They died to protect us…they knew the risks and they did their duty. Now we must uphold their sacrifice so it is not in vain. But trust me…someone will pay, not today. Today we need to survive."

She sighed, putting her head on his shoulder that was already being covered by the snow.

"You're right…let's start walking." She said with an air of uncertainty, looking at the white wilderness stretched before them with dread. Sighing, the Princess stood up putting her fur hood up, shaking the snow from her body and joined Marco.

They might be going through a rough patch but they were together and that gave her the strength to follow, looking with some amusement as Eowyn snorted at the snow, rubbing her face on it. The teens laughed, joining hands, feeling stronger than ever. Whatever this hellish place was about to throw at them, she could tell right away that this place would be unprepared for them.

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**A/N: **I know that many of you are wondering if Star is capable of everything that she did in this chapter but alas I think that Star is a proud warrior first and a survivor. Even the most innocent looking guy would do things that they didn't thought possible just to survive. When you want to survive against your enemies, the elements and to protect those who love, we would go to massive lengths to make it happen. I don't think that Star isn't incapable of what she did, after all, she did killed Toffee with a little tiny smile and it doesn't make her a killer for fighting and killing to survive, getting a taste of what the love of her life had to do. As for Marco, he spent 16 years against impossible odds in a random dimension, doing everything possible to survive against the cruelty of the Neverzone, giving his best to keep Star and Eowyn safe…it'll only get worse from here. Until the next chapter.

D4rK


	13. Bread Crumbs

**A/N: **Sorry about how late this chapter was, but my workload has increased in the last weeks.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 13.**

Bread Crumbs.

The murderous cold bit against them as they walked through the tundra. The white seemed to stretch and cover the entire the horizon, it didn't help the visible gusts of icy cold wind that seemed to want to kill them. Even as they were wearing their thick clothing, the cold lapped at the open wound in Star's cheek making her hiss in agony, her grunts of pain getting lost in the howl of the wind. They've been walking for an hour against the acrid cold, Eowyn seemed to be the only one who was unaffected by it. Marco checked his watch, at 3 o clock, the cold seemed to not give them a rest. The small cope of trees that they've found had been too small to even safely set camp, the wind would just swoop and carry them downhill.

Certainly, this would be a time to complain about their situation, bur surviving seemed more important, rather than wasting his breath uselessly, they pushed on. Star and Marco had donned their winter shoes, smartly packed once more by the more prepared person.

Star stopped momentarily, a worried Marco turned around, facing her.

"Star!" He called out. "What is it?"

Her face was uncovered, smelling the air around them. At the same time, the warg raised to her full height, smelling the cold air, turning to a particular direction, just as Star turned in the same spot.

"Do you smell that?" Star merely answered, taking a deep whiff of the cold air around them.

"No!" Marco hissed against the bitter cold. "I'm sure that if I do my nose would fall off."

Laughing to herself, Star made a motion for him to follow her.

"I smell fresh water…a cave."

Marco blinked in disbelief before remembering her unnatural abilities as a Mewman and a Johansen, their stamina, strength and sharpened senses had certainly been passed unto her. Now they were backtracking a few feet off from the trail of their footsteps in the course of a solid white horizon. Star took a deep whiff of the cold air before she covered her face once more and kept walking. The Prince didn't doubt her unorthodox methods and certainly, he didn't have to.

The more they walked, the more the face of a giant mountain was revealed to their sight. The mountain seemed to go up forever but just as the ground peeked down was the faint entrance of a cave. The Royal couple smiled at each other, hurrying up towards the mouth of it, entering swiftly into the bowels of the mountain. The entry was small, they had to squeeze their way in, with the warg as the last one to enter, yet as their eyes adjusted, there was a wall that curled towards the unknown, covered with stalagmites. The sound of water dripping echoed against their ears as the teens sighed, dropping their packs on the flat surface, resting together on the hard material, uncovering their faces, dropping their hoods and their snow shoes, letting out a stream of white vapor against the empty air, relieved to be off the hellish environment that awaited them outside. It was still cold but not enough for the wind to creep around and trying to murder them. It seemed that the hallway that veered to the right seemed to keep the wind at bay, even if they could still hear it.

Wordlessly, Marco dug into the confines of his backpack, pulling a brightly colored blue bag. Star eyes light up the moment she spotted it, standing up with a grunt, ignoring her aching feet. Soon they had a camp set up for the day, the tent was wrapped securely to the stalagmites to keep it in standing position, with their thermal sleeping bags inside and ready. Star dropped the wood that she could gather around the vicinity; it wasn't much but it would get a fire started through the night and burning through the next day if possible, with the only firewood logs that Marco had brought. A certain someone would've called him paranoid for this level of preparedness but he had to merit that life was chaotic and he was prepared to take life by the horns, rather than having those horns to gore his butt.

Star had giggled, the same thoughts passing through her mind as Marco dropped the logs

They had shed their outer layer, setting up close to the fire that Marco was currently setting up with his fire starter and some wood chips…again with the readiness, Star chuckled almost breaking the Prince concentration, smiling in satisfaction as he had a fire going. The height of the cave dissipated the smoke that was generated, carrying it upwards. Digging into his backpack, Marco pulled a grill grate and cooking stones, setting them by the fire, along with a set of pans, letting it heat up. When it was hot enough, he pulled some cooking oil, letting it thaw with the heat before dropping some, coating the frying pan as Star passed him four cans of canned meat, bacon and sausage that they had packed. It wasn't the best but given the situation, they would eat like Royalty when it was done…except he couldn't find his can opener.

He could swear that he had packed it on the top pocket, digging through it yielded him no results.

"Star…did I packed the can opener?" He wondered, scratching his forehead in confusion, swearing that he had put it there.

At the end of the day, Marco was as tough and he is derpy. Her boyfriend that cleaved a man face in two was just thinking if he brought a freaking can opener. The thought was so hilarious that she couldn't help but to bend over and start laughing, flying off the handle, almost falling on her butt as Marco stared, his lips curling upwards, laughing with her at the stupidity of the situation. The couple chuckled as they bleed out their laughter from their system as the warg looked at them with confusion, walking towards Star and pawing at the dagger that hung from the back of her belt.

Shrugging, Star did the honors and opened the cans. It took some cohesion from both of them to even get the blob that was called food into the frying pan, along with some MRE that only required some water to chemically heat up automatically. It didn't take long to have two metallic bowls filled with bacon, sausage, biscuits, beef and vegetable stew steaming towards their noses. Nothing was spared on that meal, Eowyn had plenty to eat herself, with plenty more rations packed for the arduous journey that awaited them. Today Marco could send his cautions rationing to hell, yet he did acknowledge that they had just spend roughly 10 percent of their packed-up food. Nothing was better than cuddling inside a woobie blanket, eating from their hot bowls, watching the crackling of the flames and despite everything that had happened, they had each other. Sighing, Marco cleaned a piece of bacon that had gotten stuck on the edge of Star lips making her giggle, kissing his cheek and cuddling against him once her stomach was sated.

Her eyes were getting droopy, her body finally demanding rest after fighting for their very lives against their enemies and the cold. Wordlessly, they dragged their bodies towards their sleeping bags as the warg finally licked the last of her meal, standing just at the edge of their tent, staring at the entrance in vigilance, lying her head on her paws just as the Royal couple eyes finally rested to a close.

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Many hours later, a reasonable distance away from the teens resting place, a large group of humanoids dressed in furs stopped at the coast, observing the remains of the barge with a frown on their faces, with its bow tilted upwards.

"We're too late sire." One of his men indicated at the remains. "Seems they got clipped pretty good." He squinted his eyes at the damage.

The leader, a large humanoid riding a sledge puled by an animal that could only be described as a giant furred manta ray with four stubby but thick legs; four other sleds flanked him. The four dark and gray animals that pulled his vehicle growled and whined, coming to a rest as the leader went off his wood sled, holding an axe as tall he growled in annoyance.

"How can someone be this useless? How hard is to hold two little kids by the hand? I hope he got fucked, just one less share." His voice was like gravel against the cold winds. "I guess IF they survived, we'll cut off their limbs, they won't need them." He put on a dead looking smile, eyes shining for his hunger of carnage.

"Sire!" A mercenary called him over, indicating at the plank of wood and the remains of the foot prints trailing in a particular direction that wasn't removed by the elements.

"Ha! Well boys, we have a heading! KYAAAGHHH!" He snapped the reins, the animals snarling as they took off, followed by four more vehicles, carrying the twenty humanoids, their sleds waving black flags with a red hand embraided on the center, getting lost in the infinite white.

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Back in Mewni.

Since the Royal couple had left, things were normalizing, or at least, as normal as Queen Moon could call them.

The days seemed more exhausting than ever as she dealt with the constant meetings which had expanded into the ungodly hours of dusk. No longer she could hide her fatigue after many hours of listening and talking between representatives and Royalty that seemed to enclose her entire free time.

At night, she laid under the covers in her birthday suit with an equally undressed River that traced her white hair as the Queen laid her chest on his broad chest.

"I feel that my youth was bled dry by Mewni already."

It wasn't the first time that her husband had seen what Moon would never show to the outside world, moments like these were exactly his worries would come forth. An enemy was never going to kill the love of his life, she would never be cut down and no harm would come to her…but the stress, the stress and the decay of the crown was going to be the cause of her passing. The people she solemnly swore to protect and to help were killing her slowly.

"I feel I no longer fit in with these times" She added after some minutes of silence, burying her face into his chest, her breath tickled his skin and he couldn't help himself but to bend down to kiss her.

River just limited himself to chuckle.

"That's the understandment of the century." His dry sarcasm made her laugh. Strangely, his attitude had mewled out since Star left their side. He never seemed to relax, so now of all times was he acting so strangely?

"Are you okay, my love?"

The muscled man just groaned. "A man does not speak of his feelings, they're for girls."

Moon blinked before she punched him on the arm.

"Ow!" He jumped, laughing whole heartily in good jest. The times for how he was raised clashing with the rest of the world had really got them into trouble more than once. Of all the embarrassing moments that his attitude had brought them, Moon would never trade it for anything else in this world and it is the same thought that flooded her senses before exhaustion took her to the world of dreams.

The next day started just as the other one. She was currently overseeing the construction of the Diaz state and holdings.

Like any Mewman, she was far too impressed by the construction machines that her allies and neighbors had at their disposal. What hundreds of Mewmans could've done in an entire month, they finished cleaning the field in just four days. Several engineers, Angie and an architect were currently looking at the schematics of the cottage just as another group were currently studying the land holdings to see where the school would be erected. The Diaz matriarch was more than satisfied with how things were at the moment. She smiled as she saw the dozens of monsters who were currently building the cottage foundation, guided by the more experienced construction crews.

_Thumgh….Thumgh._

The ground shook by the impacts of the giant monsters with reptile like tails moving several tons of materials as they were guided by their smaller counter parts and human construction crews, slowly placing the materials adjacent to the construction area.

Angie and the Queen smiled to each other.

Just shy of two weeks had passed since her daughter left with Marco across the sea and already, she could see the improvement of Mewni under the hands of her allies and the hard work of everyone. Star had inspired everyone the moment she became a Princess once more for everyone to do their part. Now from the smallest one, to the bigger one was rebuilding the kingdom. The number of refugees had diminished considerably as the kingdom was rebuild piece by piece. As promised, the destroyed crops were re-planted and with the modern mechanization, they were currently sprouting in far more greener pastures than before.

Many were given reparation for what they lost in the battle. Instead of sitting around like Mewmans usually did, they were so inspired by the Princess that they took it upon themselves to do their part. The Butterfly Castle was close to be structurally finished before moving to rebuild the interior. Moon turned around staring at her Kingdom, still burning with regret for not looking at the perspective of her actions.

However, this new world wasn't without danger. It was odd that nobody had seen Mina or Manfred since the day they walked into the Forest of Certain Death. She thought about her last words before she left. The poison that Mina Loveberry carried inside of her could turn disastrous if her influence started to infect and destroy everything, they worked so hard to build…she should've captured her and eliminate her.

The thought was disturbing to her. The things that she did to cleanse her Royal Guards after the barbaric acts that they committed would haunt her for the rest of her life. She swore that never again, her hatred and anger would not blind her to see the bigger picture but it turns out that once the control was wrestled from her, she lost sight of everything and ignored all around her, including her own daughter.

Sighing, she cleared her head from such dangerous thoughts, rather focusing in the task at hand.

On the next day, at the side of the Kingdom, as promised Eclipsa had adjusted to her role quite well. Nor only it came with the less of the infuriating, boring and head breaking labor of the Crown, but she could do things that she really enjoyed, such as helping the relationships between Mewmans and Monsters and having her hand into rebuilding it.

Currently she was sitting across Mewni with a representative from the Underworld and Buff Frog himself in the next room over, in the city hall with the Mayor and the Governor aid.

The issues that plagued Mewni, thrown in this new world were almost far too much to bear. As an aid of Mewni and a member of its court, she needed to understand this new world. In a few words…it was amazing.

To learn that Earth used to be the very same as Mewni, but advanced into a new millennium across its history…it was fascinating. While lacking the magic that had made Mewni famous, the humans made up for technology, mechanization and advancement of its socio-economics factors, which she wished that Mewmans and Monsters already made up completely.

Just to think that she could communicate in hundreds of different ways with a click of something they called a mouse was mind blowing. From holograms to call conferences…without any Pixie kingdom magic or messenger ravens. But like any society, the required resources were dependent on electricity, the most expensive but most important aspect of their lives. Everything ran on it, from the hospital monitors to the pumps that feed their vehicles; as for their new alliance, they were more than eager to help each other out, a fact that the Underworld was taking very seriously.

"…souls? Excuse me?" The Governor aid asked without understanding.

Out of politeness, Eclipsa rather than rolling her eyes in exasperation instead turned to the Underworld representative.

"If I may explain?"

The demon calmly nodded at her.

"The Underworld has been using souls to power up their Kingdom for generations. When a Mewman passes, their energy, their essence travels to the world of the dead…the Underworld through an underground river. The Underworld harnesses their power, their essence as energy, you might call this…renewable energy, as green as it could get, if Marco, our Prince has explained it to me is that Earth is in a constant need to produce power to run your society, do I have that right?"

"You do Miss." The aid conceded her that point. "Though I do not see how this…Hell? Underworld methods to harness power has to do for us."

The demon cleared his throat. "We could offer that energy and expand it towards your world, it will diminish your costs and the raw materials needed to maintain power…think about it. Entire cities powered by those that pass towards the next life, alone. Clean energy without contamination or after effects."

The aid quickly chocked in his own spit at the morbid prospect.

"I…I'll talk to the Governor about it."

Satisfied with another successful meeting, Eclipsa went back to Mewni to guide an altercation that had plagued Buff Frog. As the representative the Monster Rights Commission, it was his duty to uphold the rights of each and every monster in the Kingdom. When she entered the room completely unaccompanied, she could feel how somber his mood was. He did not acknowledge her for a few minutes as she calmly took a seat, waiting for the monster to gather his thoughts. The few times he had interacted with her, she realized how reserved he was but she appreciated his honesty. Given how he grew up, he never was one to keep things to himself, especially if it to improve the life of others.

"Is there something you would like to discuss Mr. Buff Frog?"

Without expecting for an immediate answer, she sat, counting the ticking minute by minute.

Finally, the monster grunted, turning around, still with his hands behind his back.

"I feel that I've been patient enough." He sighed, sitting down in front of her. "I've seen the changes but…I feel that so much more can happen." He elaborated.

Eclipsa smiled. "It seems that our power pusher is off the table right now Buff Frog." She said referring to Star. "I know that you're frustrated with the smaller changes, but little by little, our will is becoming a reality, isn't it? The Diazes are even building a school in Mewni, where everyone will be welcome. The newly appointed nobles even offered jobs for those who lost everything, why are you unhappy about this?"

The Monster sighed. "I am just…scared. "His gravel like voice broke down, like nails in a chalkboard. "That day in the throne room, I realized that there's still so much hatred against us and that hatred will soon manifest. That everything will be taken away the moment the tensions rise back up…they always do. So much for us being equal"

Eclipsa sighed, crossing her legs in a very unladylike manner.

"That was always a lie." She told him, stabbing her cat like eyes against his surprised gaze. "You're not equal to yourself one day or another. How could one individual ever be equal to another? We're so different…Equal rights under law though…that is the only equality that really matters, everything else is just a waste of time. Why do you think Star preferred action against the nobility rather than campaigning with the people? Certainly, everyone knows her and her intentions, the tabloids certainly made sure of that. But to be called truly equal without being judged upon race, creed, color, religion or sexual orientation, it needs to be on paper and enforced. The road to our recovery of our rights is a very small one, a battle fought one at a time…I ask you to be patient, I know that you've been waiting your whole life for this, but look what has been done in such amount of time."

The monster looked aside. "Yet some followed Loveberry, donning Solarian Warriors armor to try and kill us all. That says a lot."

"I understand." Eclipsa shuddered at the memories that stabbed into her in the time where the love of her life was captured and she was forced to fight to save her loved ones…but she wasn't strong enough to stop it. "For many years I've kept my fury, my anger and my hatred locked down…you're aware of my history, are you not?"

The monster grunted positively.

"I had the right to lash out, to destroy and have my vengeance upon every single one of them…to tear them apart until they were begging for mercy before killing them too but…" Her eyes glowed with unsheathed tears. "I realized that it wouldn't change a single thing...I would act as my mother, blindly seeking carnage to sate her love for violence. I've suffered a great deal for those who couldn't understand but now I have everything that I ever wanted in my life back and some more and my will…a world where everyone is welcomed to go and do as they pleased without being judged upon is finally coming to a completion thanks to Star Butterfly and her cute fiancé Marco."

They both smiled at the mention of their names, feeling warm and fuzzy just thinking about the Royal couple.

"Now you hang in there, big guy." Eclipsa giggled as he blushed like a little tad pole. "Just leave it in our hands, everything is going as it was supposed to be, all those years ago." She kissed his cheek, making the monster to jump in surprise with a deep blush forming on his scaly cheeks. It made the former Queen to laugh earnestly as she exited the room.

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At the other side of the city, someone else was equally confused in the state of their life.

Jackie Lynn Thomas sighed as she wandered through the city of Echo Creek, for once not riding her skateboard. It was a little bit over the afternoon, the day started as any other, except that the days had dragged far longer than they usually were. Chloe had tried her best to cure her funk with whatever they liked to do together but so far; the activities had lost their luster. She couldn't really put her head in what she was doing, it was like getting her head pulled in six different directions all at once. It came to a point where she almost lost her cool with Chloe just yesterday where she only wanted to be left alone to gather her thoughts. She appreciated what she was doing but pestering her for an answer that she didn't knew herself was not helping matters in the first place and so, she wandered through Echo Creek.

She was already at that age where she needed to access her options on the table. She already knew what she wanted, Marine Biologist. She could do what she always wanted to do, to study the wild life and the balance of their environment. As a lover of the sea and a defender of the misjudged and mistreated creatures of the sea and a firm believer in its conservation, it would only be natural that she would let her passion to translate towards a career path, even if Chloe didn't believe it so. Her girlfriend thought she should instead expand her professional career that she build for herself in France and instead donating many of her prize money towards the sea conservation. That was one of the areas where they clashed. Chole lacked for a lack of a better term, ambition; she was an optimist, a person that lived by the minute. While not a bad way to live, it seriously put a dent in her plans that were cemented in stone…she just didn't know how to have the confidence to carry on and tell her the truth without upsetting her.

Groaning to herself, she finally blinked as she observed where her legs had carried her on automatic pilot. She hummed to herself at the barrier that closed Brita's Taco's to the rest of the public, still covered in the solidified green goo. They were building another one somewhere else but her mind didn't left her alone. With a sigh, she kept walking, enjoying the new sights and the slightly chilly weather that only the Mewman mountains in the distance could bring. Before she realized, her legs had taken her to the fair, her eyes adjusted to the people enjoying their summer to the fullest. Memories of Marco immediately assaulted her brain and what happened that day. She wouldn't be honest with herself if she didn't say that she wasn't hurt for what happened…she was cut deeply but like a skateboard, she just kept rolling. She wasn't one to dwell in an issue for far too long, life was just too short. Her eyes were drawn to a single person who didn't made a motion to enter the fair. He was thin, wearing a red plaid shirt with a red bandana wrapped around his neck, the faded blue keytar was a straight giveaway of his identity.

"Oskar?" She called upon him with a raised eyebrow. The teen looked surprised at being named, his icy blue eyes centering on hers with an easy going smile full of pearlescent teeth meeting her eyes.

"Hey there Sea-Shell, what's happening?"

His comment immediately made her chuckle, somewhat ignoring the way that her heart started beating a little faster as she walked closer to him.

"I just went out to clear my head…there's a lot on my mind." She didn't know what made her confess her issues so openly to someone like he was, like if life was something as simple as to sleep, eat, restroom breaks and playing the keytar, but something compelled her to, sitting on the wood bench at the edge of the wood railing, looking at the beautiful ocean blue. As if sensing her concerns, his gaze softened, slinging his keytar to his back.

"Like, can I sit here?"

Shrugging, she motioned to him which he did, placing carefully his instrument on his lap. Minutes passed without conversation, the air blowing softly through their hair was their only companion and even though there was probably dozens of people behind her, Jackie felt alone. But brooding was never one of her strong suits but she didn't want to burden him with her problems. They had talked certainly but never at an emotional level.

His fake fangs curled upwards with his lips.

"So, what's up Seashell? What got you so down?"

She sighed. "Life I guess."

"Ah." He nodded. "Like dude, I know all about that."

She gave him a calculating look. "What were you doing in here anyway?"

His easy-going smile disappeared, replaced by a look of pain, something that she had never seen him show to anyone.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"My lips are completely sealed dude." She made a motion with her fingers.

"This is the last happy memory of my mother that I have. She used to take me here and my sister before she uh…she started doing uh, maybe I dunno, it's a bad vibe, I shouldn't say anything."

"Hey." She placed a comforting hand around his shoulder. "You can tell me anything you want; I will never tell a soul."

He took a deep breath. "Before my dad died and she started seeing this other man, some time ago." He looked aside. "He's a total douche, like, if you know, you looked on the dictionary, his face would be plastered on it." He sighed deeply. "It's a complete bummer."

"Is that why you preferred to hang around your car rather than your own house?"

He tsked. "That isn't a house no more. I visit sometimes because of my little sister, that's about it though. I stay with Brantley or crash with my buds, or stay in my car. That's, that's about it I guess." He closed his eyes. "I was just here to remind myself how it used to be you know what I am saying?"

She blinked. "I think that I feel the same. Life used to be…easier and less complicated."

"Yeah." He smiled, looking at her intently. She felt herself chuckling, brushing a strap of hair behind her ear. "Now I am just waiting for the building of Brita's Tacos to get done so I can get some work, can't feel the music vibe without sum food in my tummy."

She snorted at that, covering her face to hide her smile.

"What? Are my music vibes funny?"

She giggled. "Nothing like that, maybe…" Her smile fell. "Is that maybe I got no vibes in my life right now."

"Is this about Mango?"

She giggled. "It's Marco, in part yeah…but that ship sailed some time ago. He's with Star now."

"Oh, cool. Those two were like, dunno, destined with each other and stuff."

"Yeah." She drawled on, looking aside.

"What about the other skater chick?"

"Chloe? It's sort of complicated."

"I thought she made you feel accepted and cool." Oskar pressed.

"It's not that it's just that…did you ever feel like you know what path to take in your life, but the obstacle in your way is something you love doing? And you feel afraid to move it because you know you'll get hurt."

Oskar gave her a blank look.

"Imagine for a second that your career took off, but you would have to give something you really like to get it."

His brain clicked on the idea. "Oh yeah…I hear ya…it's kinda scary to think about."

They stayed silent until her phone blinked into existence with a text.

'Still walking around?'

It was Chloe. Not really in the mood to see her at the moment, she instead turned to the boy across her.

"Where you going somewhere else after staring at the fair entrance?"

Oskar hummed, bringing his fingers to his fake fangs and pressing a finger on it. She found the action cute.

"Dunno. Bratley invited to the party he's gonna do today since his mom is out of town. It's gonna be a blast, wanna come?"

She felt into the crossroads in that question, pondering what could she do. She could either broad the whole idea or do something to take the edge off, then again…if she said yes, she would be running away from her problems rather than facing them head on. At the end, her conscience won against her.

"Can Chloe come?"

Oskar just shrugged in response.

She started texting her. 'Party at some friends house. Wanna come?'

The text came faster than she anticipated. 'Don't feel like going. I'll see ya tomorrow *kisses*".

Jackie blinked in surprise, turning to Oskar.

"She said that she wouldn't go…but you know what? I'll go. We should find something to eat, dunno about you but I'm feeling my _vibes_ leaving without some grub."

Oskar smiled widely and that made her happy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A drop of water hit the Princess on the face, waking her up from her slumber. Star stretched in the sleeping tent, almost smacking her boyfriend in the face as she yawned, blinking to ease her sleep. Eowyn immediately peeked up at seeing her awake, lying her head on her lap. She smiled, rubbing the growing animal behind her ears as her hind legs moved without control against the solidified rock. The scratches must have woken up Marco as the boy groaned awake, blinking as everything started to slip into place. She smiled at how cute his expression was.

"Morning my Prince."

He smiled widely. "Morning, you just woke up.?"

"Hmmm-hmmmp. Stupid water woke with me up."

He said nothing but looked at the burning members of the fire from last night.

"I'll get some breakfast going, do you want some coffee?"

Eowyn stood up suddenly, her head aiming at the entrance of the cave.

Confused by her behavior, Marco lifted an eyebrow but was even more confused when Star threw the sleeping tent away, grabbing her cleaned weapons and armor. Now alarmed, he started doing the same, helping her don her armor while he strapped himself in his cuirass.

"What do you hear?" He asked as he turned around for her to return the favor, securing the straps of his armor.

"I hear people, animals and some sort of vehicles on sleds, they're coming from the south side…they're a lot of people."

"Do you think they're here to rescue is?" He asked with a lifted eyebrow.

"I dunno about you, but nothing in this place makes me feel relieved…let's just hope they're friendly."

Marco said nothing, slipping his hood on his head. Together they stepped off the cave towards the frozen wasteland. The haze of white had disappeared in that morning, it was still insanely cold but it was better having full visibility of the land around them. Eowyn sat down on her haunches, looking left at the horizon as Star did the same, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword.

They didn't have to wait long. Even to Marco's unattuned ears, he could hear the thumb of heavy animals and the sound of heavy sleds cutting through the snow uphill. Moments later, dark figures came on top of wood sleds pulled by beasts that he could only describe as land Manta rays with forked and furred tails, howling as the riders snapped the reigns for them to move faster. The moment they were fully revealed, the leader of the four heavy sleds motioned for his driver to come towards their direction, going downhill and slowly stopping a few feet from them.

A large humanoid, easily towering over them by three feet went off the first sled. He was donned in dark steel plate with a black helmet and an opened face mask. His eyes were black as the night, looking down on them with a calculating look, looking at each of them and then at the animal that was next to them. Eowyn's canines slipped back with an aggressive snarl coming from her lips.

"Easy girl." Marco immediately calmed her down, placing his palm on her head and rubbing it affectionately. The warg whined, staying put as more men disembarked their sleds with somber and hostile looks.

The leader smiled with a tight smile.

"Well hello there…we were looking for you. Royals from Mewnghni, right?"

"It's Mewni, you were sent by the King and the Queen? How did they hear about the shipwreck so fast?" Marco asked, not liking at all the looks he was being given by the twenty men around them.

"We got eyes, boy. Now…how about you come with us? We'll take you to 'em."

Eowyn growled again, this time standing to her full height.

Star's face turned hard. "Really now?"

"Yay, now tell your pooch to back off or we'll be forced to cut its head off."

They were sneers that came from the men around them, walking closer to their boss. Sensing the hostility, they immediately put their hands on their swords.

"Fall back to the cave girl, we'll handle this." Eowyn whined at Marco's order, but she obeyed, giving them a last look before she disappeared inside.

The man barked a laugh, joined by many of the men around him, some either too young or too old now that they looked at their details better.

"Kids shouldn't play with swords…now about you throw those toothpicks before you get hurt" He snarled, licking his disgusting teeth earning a growl of anger from Star.

"Oh, I don't think so." The Princess bared her teeth.

If only that amused the leader more.

"Surrender…either lay down your weapons or let's fight…It makes no difference to me, we'll bring you in, no questions asked. Though I want to fight! Don't disappoint us." His crocodile smile broke into a nasty visage of malformed teeth with even poorly silver teeth that lined his blackened gums.

It was creepy how jovial his expression was, which Star decipher that this is how this individual had been for the vast majority of times as a mercenary. How many innocents had died to satisfy the hunger for carnage and greed? She knew that everyone struggled, but a man that enjoys murder was a danger to the world and she intended to show him what happens when you mess with Star Butterfly.

Laughing sardonically, the Princess chuckled at his pathetic attempts to intimidate them, slowly drawing her sword from her sheath with a hum of steel, pointing the tip right at him before falling down in her iron gate stance, his smirk widening.

Her blue eyes burned with death, letting out a growl that seemed to vibrate the very air as his smirk fell behind the face shield of his helmet.

"Whoever dies today, you certainly will be among them. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She rushed with a scream of her own paralyzing the very first humanoid who wasn't fast enough to block her perfect lunge, stabbing him through the chest, his own sword still hanging loose on his side. She twisted his body around with her sword still in him to make him take the brunt of an axe strike that was meant for her right shoulder, the meaty shield let out a shriek of agony just as she broke her sword free and stabbed _her shield_ through the throat and through the chest of the axe wielding man, piercing his chest through the other side. She let her sword go free as the bodies started falling, once more returning to her stance just as Marco dispatched his opponent with a slash through the front of his skull with a frontal slash. The humanoid eyes rolled to the back of his head as blood rained down his forehead like a fountain before falling dead at his feet.

The leader massive girth was not a match for Marco, who had turned around swiftly after blocking an axe towards his torso, smashing his armored elbow unto the face of the leader, crushing his steel helmet inwards. The humanoid howled in agony, not being able to pry the helmet off his face from the deformed material on his skin, blood already pooling from the gaps on the material.

A man screamed towards Star the moment her back was turned at watching the spectacle, attacking with a large war hammer which she stopped at mid swing screaming as she swung her sword low, cutting his right leg off from under him as he collapsed. The humanoid screamed bloody murder holding the remains of a gory stump in his bloodied hands but she didn't dwell on it too much but rather stopping a short sword with the guard of her sword, driving the tip upwards into his neck and through the other side. As the humanoid started to choke in his own blood, she retreated just in time to catch Marco fighting with three humanoids at the same time.

He stopped a swing, counter cutting to soft tissue of his neck while his bloodied sword stopped another one with a clank of steel, his eyes flipped behind him for a second, just to launch his opponent backwards with a push of his sword, tilting his body and swinging with his left arm behind him, slashing through the middle of the humanoid face, his halves flapping inside his torn iron helmet before he fell dead. The sword wielding humanoid took a step back completely terrified of the violence that had escalated. He turned tail and ran without looking where he was going, falling unto Star's path. She immediately latched on his throat with her free hand.

Star felt his windpipe go mushy in her grip, her titanic strength making short work of him, not leaving an ounce of air to leave his destroyed flesh with only his bulged-out eyes the only way to express his deep agony before he slumped in her grip and died with a deep crack resounding through her ears. She hissed as she sensed movement behind her, throwing his body aside like a sack of trash against a screaming humanoid with a raised axe who attacked in blind rage, hitting him violently making him tumble without control. Star quickly cut the distance with two strokes of her feet, where the humanoid was trying to get the body off him, stabbing him through the forehead until her sword hit the snow behind his head with a nasty crunch, withdrawing her sword with the sound of cracking bone and flesh giving in to the steel.

The humanoids that surrounded them paused, this time realizing against who they were facing, already regretting their decision. In mere minutes, they already had diminished their numbers to half. Star and Marco were not the easy cowards they were used to, but trained warriors with years of experience behind them and Star was more than eager to show them were they would lay tonight.

A scream was torn from the leader's face as he pried his helmet off and Star couldn't help but to cringe at the sight.

His scalp and part of his cheek were hanging off the side of his face, blood oozing rapidly from his wounds, yet his eyes never let the luster for violence to disappear from his gaze, burning a hole through the Royal couple, his right eyebrow twitching in annoyance as Star smirked widely at his wounds, beckoning him to attack with her free hand while Marco stood still waiting for him.

The leader let out a savage scream from his throat.

"Kill em all!"

The few that remained attacked all at once. Just as Marco went into a defensive stance, Star shook her head at him, merely assuming a wide stance, breathing intently while pointing her sword at the six humanoids rushing them.

Her blue eyes flashed red before her sword cracked with electricity, launching lightning at her enemies, the sigil quickly singing their insides embedded in her hilt which disintegrated them in pieces that scattered all over the snow. She almost fell back from the energy that was sucked from her body, breathing hard at her handywork.

"Man, that thing packs a punch." Was the only thing she could think to say. Even as someone as experienced as Marco was agasp at how quickly they got dispatched, cringing with disgust at the shower of gore in the snow.

A bloodied shape stood from over the remains of the bodies, shaking in disbelief as he stared at his hands, screaming at the sight around him. He screamed, crawling from the pile of parts, rolling on his side, using the snow to clean his face just as the leader finally looked back where he came from, turning tail and ran. He didn't count on the inhuman speed in which the Royal couple intercepted him. In the blink of an eye they had already cut his escape, hissing in surprise, he screamed and ran towards the other side, making a hasty retreat in the direction of the sleds just as Star slid into his path, aiming her bloodied sword at him making him stop immediately, the humanoid eyeing the blood that ran freely from her sword with beads of sweat running down his forehead.

"Oh? Where you're going? I thought you didn't want to be disappointed." She parroted his words at him, never letting him out of her sight, while Marco stood behind his princess with his sword held at his side.

"Look, it ain't nothing personal. It's just a job for the Red Hand, that's it." He placated them with his hands still holding his golden weapon resting at his side.

"The Red Hand?" Marco questioned him in interest.

"I don't answer questions for little shits like you!" Hissed the leader with an angry step in his direction.

His comment didn't yield any results to move the unimpressed expression on the Princess face.

"So, you just expect us to let you go after you attacked us? Fat chance." Star chuckled sardonically.

"You attacked! We're just defending ourselves!"

The Royal couple looked at each and rolled their eyes simultaneously.

"Seems to me that it didn't make a difference to you…like it won't make a difference to us either when we kill you…now pick up your weapon…you aren't going to beg, right?"

"FUCK YOU BITCH!" The leader screamed with tears streaming down his face from the rage he was feeling, picking up his weapon and charging. Star simple tapped her hilt, a ball of fire hurling into him, the man didn't have time to blink as he was decapitated in mid step. The moment his body fell, his torso simply disintegrated in a messy explosion.

Growling at her reserves were hanging by a strain, she shook the black edge from her vision, catching the horrified screams of the only survivor of their enemies. A yowl of agony came from the humanoid without his right leg, made that two survivors.

The more Star and Marco walked towards the young humanoid, the more he crawled back completely horrified of the figures of death approaching his way. From what Star could see, he was young, very young, perhaps even younger than themselves.

"Are you going to be more cooperative than your boss there? She pointed a thumb at the still smoking remains that casted at the angel of death that was embedded in the gore caked snow.

"Shut yer trap!" The legless humanoid screamed from the snow, looking at him with a visage twisted in agony and anger.

The boy shook his head, crawling his legs to his chest and trembling without control of his body.

"Well?" Marco pressed on.

"Don't hurt me! I was just bullied to be in here, like many!"

"Filthy coward! You owe the Red Hand yer stinkin' life!" Hissed the legless humanoid, starting to crawl towards them, leaving a bloodied trail.

"Don't mind your friend there, can we have some answers?" Marco asked as Star whistled, Eowyn came running from the cave, taking the humanoid from his leather belt, dragging him off his path to his back with a throw of her head. Defeated the humanoid couldn't do anything but to grunt in agony as his skin started to turn pale, trembling at the beast that growled mere feet from him.

The young humanoid cleaned his tears off his face.

"You aren't going to kill me?"

"We promise" Star eyes softened just as she looked at her boyfriend. They both flipped the blood off their blades with a stroke, slamming them home with a solid thump. "We need answers, since we own your life, we'll take our payment with information, sounds fair to you?"

The humanoid quickly nodded.

"Now, let's start with something simple. What is your name?"

"Roughlet."

"Where are we?" Marco asked with crossed arms.

"You're in Loirilia, at least a league from the closest trading town."

Marco looked intently at the young humanoid, uncrossing his arms and crouching next to him.

"Do you have a map of the area?"

The humanoid motioned towards the vehicles.

"Back in the sleds."

"What is the Red Hand?" Star pressed, crossing her arms.

"It's a band of bloody mercenaries that roam these lands, they do as they wish. Many of us were caught up in debt that we couldn't pay…my sin was to try to feed my family, I asked them for a loan to pay for some food…and I couldn't pay them back, so they forced me into their service or they would kill my family."

The legless humanoid laughed sardonically as he said this, earning a growl from Eowyn immediately quieting him up.

"I see." Was the only thing that Marco could say. "What is the currency of these lands?"

The boy didn't say anything but instead dug into his leather satchel, pulling a rough squarish gold piece with a shield neither of them recognized.

"It's called the Ruk."

The eyes of Star turned swiftly towards him, making him recoil at the force of lighting into her gaze.

"Now Roughlet, how about we talk about what the Red Hand wanted with us?"

"YOU'RE DEAD KID, DEAD!" Hissed the legless humanoid, starting to crawl again towards them before the heavy paw of Eowyn held him in place with a snarl inches from his face, terrifying him into staying put.

"Shut your trap!" Barked Star, breathing in and out to calm her nerves. "Now, talk."

"They mention you; they say that they know you were coming and the ship Captain was bringing you towards them, they were never interested in reaching the palace so they could interrogate you. You were ordered to be brought up in the presence of the King and the Queen into mainland by force after and then disposed of."

The royal couple looked at each other in shock as they took this information with a disturbed realization.

"Do…do you know anything else that they said about us?"

He shook his head. "No…only that you were some Royal defenseless brats from some land I didn't hear anything about…obviously that wasn't the case." He looked aside and shuddered. "You killed everyone, the nasty fella you blew up was the chieftain of this clan…we actually set up camp towards the East where one of the bases is situated. There's roughly sixty of them, nasty pieces of work, the lot of them."

The legless humanoid looked like he wanted to say something else but the pain in his leg was starting to numb his body towards his eventual demise.

"There's one more thing…the leadership of the Red Hand it's earned through bloody combat, I saw him kill the last one. You're literally the one that killed him, that weapon belongs to the second in command." He quickly pointed at the gnarled hand that still held the golden weapon and then at the humanoid who started trembling in fear as Star and Marco looked at him. "If you kill him, it will tell everyone what you did, wherever you go, they will know that you took that weapon from his bloody corpse, it will tell everyone that you destroyed the strongest of the Red Hand. From their clan, just the strong hold these weapons…they're like…like magic."

Star and Marco looked at each other. The Princess attention was now centered on the golden weapon, walking closer to it and examining it on the ground. Curiosity guided her hand as she clutched the bloodied stump, prying the cold dead fingers from the handle, taking it into her hands with a sturdy grip, giving it an observant swing. It felt good in her hands with a nice balance. Certainly, a weapon best used for close quarters.

The weapon started glowing just as the legless humanoid did as well, conveying the message.

Roughlet looked at them both. "If you want to own it, you need to do what must be done."

"Star…are you seriously going to murder him? That's not what a warrior would do. He's close to death already, just let him expire." Marco chastised her.

She hissed at him. "You hear him, it can be useful in our quest…if there's an advantage that we can grasp, this is it." She said with finality, walking closer to the downed humanoid who crouched as he could, stabbing her with a look in defiance, never letting his fear show through. Star walked behind him, lifting the golden weapon over her head.

"I made a promise to you Roughlet…and we own you. We saved your life, if we see you again, you will help us."

"I promise…now please let me go!" The young humanoid cried.

"One last thing…if anyone ask what happened here, tell them, tell them that if they come against us, they're just going to be skull and bones…DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

"YES! SKULL AND BONES!"

Snarling with a howl, the Princess brought the weapon down through the back of the skull of the humanoid, piercing it through the other side with a meaty thump.

"SKULL AND BONES! SKULLNBONES!" The young humanoid continued screaming in shock. "SKULL AND BONES, SKULLABONES! SKULLABOONES!" Frightened at the sight of the golden weapon leaving the ventilated skull of the humanoid, he stood up and ran towards the sleds, never ever bothering to look back, climbing on the one with less gear and snapping the reigns.

Marco watched him go with a shake of his head.

"Goddamn it." He cursed. "The more we stay here, the more complicated it gets." At the lack of answer, he looked at his girlfriend who was staring disturbingly at the bloodied golden weapon in her hand.

Her mind was in complete turmoil as the events that happened in less than a day simmered in her head.

The moment a representative betrayed and tried to have you killed and instead killed your countrymen and your allies, is the day they stopped being a representative and more like the guy's head you were going to tear off with your bare hands, that is the thought that passed through Star's mind when she realized they had been set up. A rage like no other light up inside of her, gone was the easy going and fussy feelings that had been part of her personality for many years, now all that remained was the hatred and to seek vengeance for those that wronged them, because she could immediately presume that the reason why it was convenient to send them off was so they could put Mewni once more in danger.

And she knew in her heart that when this was done and over, a lot of people were going to die by her hands. Just as well as Marco's hands. The thought should've disturbed her but, in her need, to protect the kingdom, came the responsibility to do whatever it took to keep it safe against all enemies…foreign or domestic.

"Star?" Marco's voice cut through her thoughts. "Did you hear me?"

Shaking her head, she crawled her face into her hands as the adrenaline started to bleeding off her system.

"I said that we better scavenge their sleds and seek those maps so we have a heading. But before we need some rest after this. It's obvious what those big-headed jerks intentions were."

"You know what I am thinking?" Star answered him with a question.

The Prince lifted an eyebrow.

"We can't let that camp unattended, if we want answers, we're going to have to literally get information by force, Mewni is once more in danger because we did something stupid" She growled at her own idiocyy, looking again at her newly acquired weapon, flickering the blood off it and storing it in her belt.

The Prince sighed.

"It's not your fault, we couldn't know. It's still early, we need to use the sun while we still have it."

Sighing, she looked at how filthy her clothes were, red was really not her color.

"If we do something about this blood that is."

Nodding, Marco pointed at the sleds. "Let's see what they got and we'll be ready to scout that camp."

"Shall we, then?" She smiled half way lifting her fist.

"We shall." He quickly fist bumped her, walking their way towards the sleds in the distance, Eowyn trailing behind them.

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**A/N: **This isn't by far the worse perils that our power couple will face, so much danger is yet to come. These lands are as violent as they are savage and devoid of any mercy, a fact that soon Star and Marco will learn. Until the next chapter.

D4rK


	14. Warpath

**A/N: **Sorry about the lack of updates. This is a shorter chapter but it is the introduction on the next stage of their path.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 14.**

Warpath

The blazing cold snapped at their exposed skin making the Princess to hiss through clenched teeth, pulling her hood closer to her hair, billowing in the wind. Next to her Marco walked as he cleaned himself up kleenex wipes which had turned crimson the more he rubbed its gel across the parts of him that had been exposed to the gore that they had left behind, passing several to Star which she didn't let them to waste, cleaning the death lifeline from her face and her armor with a cringe, still high on adrenaline.

Feeling more confident and also cleaner, the pair walked to the newly vacated sleds. The animals recoiled as soon as the warg appeared next to their side but they were quickly calmed down by Marco's soothing touch, muttering swords of encouragement and light caresses to their odd-looking nostrils. The Princess giggled as his antics but was still grateful, now concentrated in their contents. They were now searching the leader's sled which contained several supplies, eyeing the traveling leather backpacks and the large and closed bags on the compartment area as well as several weapons which didn't really caught Star's attention but a long bow that was obviously made for war and not for hunting as well as large arrows made for it.

She judged its weight and pull with an expert eye, judging it to be a nice quality than the weapons that this scum had been carrying. Judging by its fresh appearance and the lack of negligence, this has been a stolen weapon. It had a couple of initials and characters that she could not read; she would make good use of it and maybe one day return it to its rightful owner, if this being was even alive in the first place.

Marco for his part preferred to made good use of the information that had been provided to them, searching the front of the sled. The leather and fur seats were lined with book in a language that he could not recognize but alas, he found a large map made of a strange combination of rubberized papyrus and leather which would be impervious to the harsh elements. He opened it up catching Star's attention, pulling the bow on her lap as she turned her full attention to the map in question.

The warrior hummed, studying the map in question with an expert eye. Information has always been kind of his thing, not only by the absolute love of history but recognizing the importance of written knowledge and this time it wouldn't be different. He had after all studied hundreds of maps which had turned more than valuable in completing his quest for his scissors back then and it wouldn't make a difference now.

His eyesight followed the coast line where there was an _X_ marked in red ink with the same odd writing. The marked path followed a path to which he studied the uncovered vast areas of white, making a connection that had been the same path that the Red Hand had used to deal with them, as evidenced by the still fresh tracks and the outline of the cold ocean still over twenty miles in that direction, barely noticeable from the sea of white that surrounded them. Marked in a dotted line in blue was another path, this time veering to the right of their location. His eyes studied their surroundings trying to judge where the two paths intercepted to stablish their correct location. Given the fact that the mountain range in which they were had followed was at the left side where they had stopped after Star had smelled the cave systems, he could quickly stablish their location as a few leagues from where the path veered right with the dotted lines.

The dotted blue line then changed into a large green ink marking a location that was at least thirty miles away from here, marked in large circle with the numeration of a single digit also marked in the same ink.

Marco tapped that spot, catching Star's eyes.

She immediately nodded, quickly understanding.

They had known each other for so long that not much had to be said to understand each other. Silently they prepared for the next trek in their journey before their stomachs grumbled in hunger. After such vigorous calorie burning exercise as it was to chop dozens of people to death, they had forgotten to eat. Judging by the disapproving looks that the animals that had been pulled the sleds, they were also starving.

"Uh…" Marco cringed, not liking how they were looking at him. "What do they even eat?"

Eowyn snorted as she checked the bags in the rear in the other sled, gagging and even snarling at a particular brown sack, coated with a substance that smelled of death. Cringing, Marco climbed off and checked it. Inside there was a multitude of wrapped packages stained with a filthy green and red literally oozing through the material. Gagging at the strong smell, he noted as the animals perked up at the smell, craning their necks and looking at him.

"Well watcha waiting for? Your people awaits, Chef Marco." Star snorted.

Gulping, he slowly dug into the bag, pulling one of the envelopes. He was sure if it was summertime, there would be hundreds of flies in it. Resigned to his fate, he dug one and unwrap its thick cord, revealing a thickened cube that looked like frozen vomit. It was gooey and it stained his gloves in an instant and he was sure that the smell would never go away. Grunting he approached the animals in the lead, slowly tilting the vile cube close to the jaws of the beast. The animal growled at the unfamiliarity of the warrior, but accepted the treat, opening its maw revealing teeth line needles, chewing noisily and swallowed with what he could assume was a pleased hum.

He repeated the motion another time and moved with the rest of the animals until the sack was half full. All the while Star had watched with amusement and some disgust as her fiancée fed the animals, somewhat accepting that his delicate tact was useful in times like this.

With the animals pleased and fed he seemed ready to go.

"We need to pull the animals in two sleds and leave the last one for the elements. We can use them for firewood in case we do need it. Let's check the sleds first though, see what kind of loot we can get out of them."

Wordlessly, Star climbed down searching for the furthest sled, thoughtful of their construction and contents. It seemed that the leader had them fully stacked with what could be seen as a small fortune given the fact that they've found over six packs full of ruks. It would come in handy; they also found multiple weapons with another bow carrying Marco's fancy, multiple spears, swords, two sets of rusted armor which they threw aside, four packs of provisions of unknown kind, raw meat, sweet pastries, sugar, fur clothing for the cold as well as a ten thick coats of sturdy fur lined with heavy thread, nine water jugs made of ceramic which surprisingly had kept the water unfrozen and to Star's happiness, some spirits that smelled heavenly, like wine.

With the goods made, Star and Marco handled the animals, taking their time to move the animals for two sleds, since they were not taking the entire cargo, the extra weight shouldn't affect their mobility. Sighing, the Princess would have loved a bath but with the sun already up and time pressed on their backs, they had to kept moving. They ate the leftovers from yesterday, giving some to the warg who gulped down her fair portion, breaking camp and repacking. Marco and Star took their time to change their inner linings and underwear, feeling somewhat cleaner before climbing back in two sleds, with the warg on Star's side.

The royal couple took a last time at the bodies that they had left in the snow, already starting to set in rigor mortis, covered with a thin layer of snow. The knew that what awaited them wouldn't be easy, but when have their lives have ever been? The couple took a good look at each before smiling, concentrating now on the path ahead. Quickly ubicating himself in the map, Marco now was following that trail to where they could get some answers.

"Just follow my lead!" Marco snapped the reins, the animals grunting and started to pick up speed with Star's behind him, carrying them deeper into the white unknown.

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A pair of red lips snapped a porkchop in two with the grace that only the son of the Underworld could do as it levitated in front of him. In front of him was a frowning Janna, eyeing her own portion in her plate in a human restaurant. The human patrons had tried but failed to ignore the couple, between a mix of disgust, fear and even arousal from the female ones at the devilish looking bad boy, Janna tried but failed to keep a newfound feeling of jealously, eyeing them with a tad of anger in her features.

Noticing the look on Janna, he swallowed slowly, cleaning the corner of his lips with the clothe napkin, smiling sheepishly at her.

"C'mon my dark trickster, ignore them."

He seemed to read her mind as her face darkened in anger, not used to broadcast her emotions so openly, especially in public but finally she relented eating her meal out of obligation more than hunger, wanting to finish it off quickly so they could nod the hell out of there. Their relationship could be summarized as private, as long as Tom existed this was something different to what he was accustomed to. It was a relationship that could be said to be a private experience and a learning one. Janna was different than any other girl, while she was disgusted by the usual female behavior, it seemed that from her part, she was her very own experience in regards to the female population. She didn't know what she liked as she lacked experience in the same; yet Tom knew that she trusted him enough to be patient in this experience of "togetherness". It was a foreign feeling for both of them, a feeling that they were experienced together. The demon boy, the more understanding of them was more than willing to go out from his comfort zone, while Janna, the always mysterious and elusive of them both was discovering a part of her that she never thought it was there. On the other hand, their openness was an issue that she was scared to partake in, not used to be so open towards another person, even if she could catalogue them as a couple, with nobody else falling into that type of category, she still was having a big issue in accepting herself.

Tom as always was more understanding than ever, perhaps far too much than he thought possible when it came to relationships and as Star's former boyfriend, he took his role well in this new experience, never pushing his boundaries with Janna but still holding his own in what they had already established and not backing down from them, even if her own insecurity pissed her off. He had lost so much that whatever he had with Janna seemed to be enough, literally inhaling whatever he had already available. If it was unhealthy or not, he didn't say, preferring to live in the moment until whatever they had was defined proper.

Janna from her part didn't seem phased at her _boyfriend_ taking her hand without complain walking through a portal into the underworld, its view on par with how she was feeling inside. Whatever the feelings of other people, she was more than welcomed to satisfy her own curiosity in this new world as it was to feed these new feelings, regardless if was visiting new grounds. It was odd, to think that she was once the one calling Marco the cowardly one and the one who never to do something different, just like a safe kid would, but now, she was the one getting all scary cat to even try to satisfy the thoughts in her head for what was available to her.

_You're something else Diaz. _She thought with a chuckle that escaped her.

The demon boy looked at his girl warily, pushing the doubts and his questioning manner towards another plane, squeezing her hand tighter against his, earning a confused but still welcoming gaze of the ABC girl which he smirked lazily to compensate for his self-doubting.

Tom blinked as another thought came to him, interrupting his train of thought.

"You…know. It has been a while since we've heard of Star and Marco. What do you think they've done so far?"

Janna didn't answer immediately, humming to herself. It was a handful to think of those two and everything they've experienced together lately, still remembering the quick episodes after the cleave but overall it seemed like a more honest chapter of whatever she was having with Tom and that pissed her off, a feeling that she preferred to keep under wraps, with more layers hidden into her persona as a way to safeguard herself, not being able to change her personality for someone else just yet.

She thought a long time about them before answering.

"I don't know, they sure looked eager to get out of here. Not that I blame them. Star was under A LOT of pressure…I guess that being a Princess in a new world was a lot to take in." The young man at her side stayed silent, preferring to keep his gaze forward. As an afterthought she squeezed his hand earning his attention once more. "What about you?"

He blinked. "What about me?"

"Well, how has this situation with the new world has affected you?"

"Surprisingly, it has gone well." He nodded, appreciating a change of thought than it was into his own personal feelings in the matter of his relationship.

She arched an eyebrow and waiting for him to continue, secretly using the same distraction before she sank into herself.

"My kingdom has never been so eager to follow our own steps with this government. The guidelines into following on with the electricity services provided with the US government has been a topic that my parents have continued on. I've never seen them so existed, at least in such a long time. It was like if this was a familiar territory for them and they're more than eager to push on their roles and the advantages it has brought to the Underworld."

"Maybe because it is what has caught their attention. I would be like them if I was in their position."

He smirked.

"Now you're thinking like a Queen. Something you want to tell me?"

Her cheeks exploded in red, a fact that she couldn't accept to herself, she didn't blush! She scolded herself, clearing her throat to avoid looking directly into his eyes. If he noticed something he didn't say, yet nowadays Tom preferred to for her to realize things herself rather than pushing Janna into pushing her hard to admit things. He could accept that it was a part of a personal challenge into dating her and Tom was elated every time that she showed a part of her true self, it was a personal commitment between them both.

"Ugh, nothing." She barely stammered out. "Just, whatever happened with both of them?"

"Why Janna, that almost sounds like if you care to hear about them both."

She punched his shoulder.

"Of course, I do horns, they're my friends."

"Oh wow, Janna admitting personal relationships labels. You surprise me every day."

She snorted not being to stop her throat from even articulating a denial from her mouth, displaying a small smirk.

"God, you're such an asswipe."

Both displayed stupid contagious grins.

Their moment was interrupting as the black metal band Burzum squealed a throaty roar from Tom's phone. Frowning he slipped the device from his pocket, looking at the text message with apprehension.

Janna studied his face as it went from annoyed to alarmed, getting her whole attention.

"What is it?"

Tom put the device away, this time his eyes were completely widened in complete disbelief.

"It was Ponyhead. We need to get our asses back to the palace in Mewni, pronto."

The seriousness in his tone couldn't disguise how grave the situation was.

"Let's go horns."

Without another word, the demon boy took her by her arm, shouting to the air in a stream of fire and into a portal in midair.

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Queen Moon couldn't avoid the dejected sight that came off her mouth in the library of the Palace. She was currently dressed in her black undergarments, walking in circles all under the worrisome gaze of her husband who looked back and forth as her feet went in circles. Sat on the table stood two US Army officers and a senior enlisted Sergeant who had a radio that flickered with static.

Moon stopped looking at the men assembled before her.

"Could…could you try again?"

"It's not use, ma'am." The US Army senior enlisted-man said to her, hanging up the heavy radio. "We've tried for over an hour. No signal."

The officer next to him grunted.

"We've also tried our satellites. Something and I can't explain what, it's blocking our view, not even thermal vision is going through the thick fog. There's nothing but an infinite white and static from our end. Even the jets that we scrambled can't get pass can't get visual It's unprecedented but most likely the signal of our soldiers is completely dead."

The other officer grunted as an answer.

"We can only assume the worse at this point."

Queen moon put her foot down, peeling her teeth in anger at the sacrilege of those words.

"I thought you were technically superior! This is a new world! A world where we discovered something that would go our blindest dreams, but you're telling me that there's nothing that you can tell me about my daughter and my son in law?"

The flying horsehead for her part said nothing, biting her lips to avoid screeching something that she would regret. For the first time ever, she kept her mouth shut, preferring to text the only two people that she could ever trust in a moment this. Her anxiety was so bad that she stopped any recording of footage that she could use for her show and her personal show, a first in her existence.

Next to her was the reinstated King Rivett Butterfly, chewing on his lower lip as she was, thinking and rationalizing the current situation at hand, hating it and wishing it could be as easy as to send the cavalry which he would led personally to attack and get her daughter and his future son in law instead, but nothing could prepare him for what was told to him.

His moon turned to him and it was everything he needed to know to understand that this was completely serious and they both had to accept it now.

Star and Marco had been lost for over a week.

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It seemed too easy traversing on the wild like this mused Marco as he snapped the reins once more to let the animals follow a particular speed in which he was comfortable. Four hours after their initial running with the scum, they were making good time, traversing nine miles of rough terrain with a semi covered trail to their destination. Per his calculations if everything was going their way and they weren't assaulted by the elements they should make it before 6.

The animals started panting heavily now, a mixture between a growl and a neigh, pulling the reins heavily into his hands.

Marco made a motion to Star to stop which he did next to him, her animals in similar state. Sighing, he climbed down going to the back of his sled as his princess did the same. After watering the animals and giving them a little bit more to eat they rested for an hour, observing with what they have to work with. Satisfied that everything was going well, they drove upwards, letting their eyes wander around the lavish environment. The forests went as far as the eye could see with vast quantities of snow covering them, a far and jagged mountain stood in the distance, covering half of the skyline. Given the fact that the trail seemed to curve around them, Marco quickly deduced that they were entering a valley, with more rocky formations appearing the further they went into stranger territory. Nothing intercepted their path; they were no animals encountered or any signs of life. It seemed that the land around them was completely dead in the vast vacuums of white. It drew a concerned look from Star and a nod from Marco to confirm that he was thinking the very same thing.

At times when Marco was exploring the infinite lands of Hekapoo's dimension, situations like this were a clear warning that whatever was around was lurking or in hiding, watching him from a safe distance. Unconsciously, he felt for the bow next to him as an extra layer of security, his eyes never parting from his surroundings and never stayed ahead of him for too long. He checked his map again, mentally scratching the miles off their destination by now realizing that they were now reaching the curvature where the paths intercepted in less than a mile from them. The road curved upwards into a high angled slope which took some persuading from the reins for the animals to push on, clearing the high road. There was a curvature where the path passed through a small gap just big enough for the sleds to pull through. Narrowing his eyes, once more Marco made a signal for Star to stop as he pulled the sled off-road with a smooth pull of the reins, letting the animals to take a much-needed rest.

His eyes traced the pattern of the rocky formations, swearing that he saw fabric moving on the top of it. From her part, Star smelled the air around them, her blue eyes cracking with intensity as she slowly pulled her newly acquired bow and slung the quiver around her belt. Their eyes met and they both nodded at each other.

"Stay here girl, guard the sleds." The Princess quickly told their warg, rubbing a gloved hand around its cheek, the animal quickly leaning into her touch with a silly smile, grunting in response. Blowing her a kiss, Star joined Marco, with bow in hand with the other holding a pair of binoculars with taped ends to add as sunshade. They moved to the right side of the rocky formations, taking cover from the main path. The Princess peeked over the edge, smelling the air around her as confirmations to their suspicions.

"We're very close to the camp, as we suspected, it's guarded. We don't know how many lookouts they have but there'll be more than a pair." He flickered his head towards the position where he saw the colorful clothing. "Up there. I think we can climb through the side and get to the slope so we can get a better view." He chuckled. "You up for it?"

She smirked. "It'll be just like a game of flags. Easy as pie." She said studying the rocky formation, already mapping good positions for a good foothold. Nodding at each other, they looked similar paths where they could get a good grip. Marco slung his bow around his back and was the first to start climbing, solidifying his grip on the closer rock, he pulled his weight and swung his right leg towards a ledge, pushing himself upwards, his eyes flickering towards his Princess who already was ten feet further than him, throwing him a smirk which he openly scowled at. Never to be outdone, he tested his newly acquired strength that she passed unto him. He jumped with a grunt a good twenty feet upwards, gravity taking him down towards the formation and almost falling aside as the wind picked up from the height of the natural structure. Panicking for a second, he almost missed the rock that he had aimed to grab, falling on the rock with a grunt of strain. He heard some snickering from his side, annoyingly he threw Star an exasperated look as she looked at him with her legs swung around a pillar of rock, looking at him upside down.

Shaking his head, he continued in silence, ignoring as she easily let herself fall in a perfect hand stand, before flickering her right leg catching a solid footstall before flexing her knee and taking flight effortlessly upwards, pulling her body gracefully towards the new path. They had scaled over a hundred feet of rock when Star noticed the jagged hole in the formation, tracing the outline of wooden planks and rocks forming a trail curving out of her sight and into a ridge. Her nose detected traces of smoke with something else cooking in a stove and something metallic disturbing the howl of the wind. She looked at Marco, putting two fingers under her eyelids and pointing down, nodding at him. Understanding, he climbed higher to get a better look at the trail, humming to himself.

He looked upwards, seeing as the formation dived upwards where they could stand up and peek beneath. He made a motion upwards to Star, nodding as she climbed slowly now to avoid any sound to betray their position. Carefully the pair kept climbed upwards until they finally reached a breach that covered an open hole in the formation that gave them a perfect sight of the inside of the hollowed-out structure with the glowing fire cracking and blowing smoke into the gap. Grunting they managed to find purchase into the short gap of the wall before jumping off the gap and towards a solid rocky formation where they could finally get on their feet, getting their bows ready. The pair crouched down, carefully avoiding scraping their armor against the rocks, continuing on towards the ledge that ended up in a sharp drop. Marco quickly took his binoculars, aiming at a patch of dried up logs tied together to form a covering for a dozen humanoids wrapped in heavy clothing, at least fifty feet away from them as another stirred a stew of unknown contents. There were two holding long bows, peering down into the narrow passage that would take them to that curvature in the road.

His expertly eyes looked at his enemies. Well fed, muscled, strong and able humanoids. These weren't the quick and lightly armored scouts that they had encountered but men that were prepared for everything. There was a torch stand on the opposite side with a tarp covering the red colored dyed logs. A smoke alarm system that would alert the rest of the settlements and the main force. Primitive, but smart.

Aiming his binoculars, he studied the biggest of them all, a humanoid that stood close to eight feet tall, wrapping in crude but effective chain mail and furs, with a large bloodied palm marked on the front of his plate. His face was covered in a bascinet helmet with an opened face mask. Two large tusks protruded from his scar covered lips with a dirty blue colored skin color. His large armored covered hands were palming a bardiche polearm almost as if he was dying to use it. He felt for the weight of the arrow, feeling the tip and judging that perhaps two of them could be used to take down such a dangerous looking opponent. The others were armored in similar manner holding a variety of polearms and crossbows and a few well used shorts.

"How many arrows you think that big is going to take before he drops?" Star asked, already having an arrow notched on the string. From his part Marco hummed, studying their enemies with an expert eye. Judging by the drop distance that they had before them, he didn't think it was possible to take them simultaneously take them at the same time, perhaps if they were closer but that still gave them the advantage of cover. The logs were easily made to cover their position but could also be used as cover from ranged attacks. His eyes widened as a plan quickly formed in his head.

"Two…but I got an idea. See the rope holding the logs together?"

Star squinted her eyes nodding in response, quickly understanding his plan.

"This is like pop goes the weasel but on large version." She snickered, earning a chuckle from Marco. The Princess tapped the sigil on her sword, a fluorescent orange glow was transferred to the palm of her hands, breathing slow and steady with closed eyes, guiding her open palm towards the waiting arrow tips that Marco was holding. Nothing seemed to happen at first but after a few seconds the arrowheads glowed with the same energy.

"I think I have enough energy to use a wind sigil when we drop down from here." Star said studying the fifty feet drop. "We need to be quick, maybe leave one alive?"

"The more information we get, the better."

"And if he doesn't want to collaborate?"

Marco sighed. "Then you show him your newly acquired weapon." He pointed at the golden pike hanging from her belt. "And see what will happen to him." He said as an afterthought.

Nodding, Star prepared her shot, her arms expertly riding the bow and pulling her arrow back with a cringe of wood as Marco did the same. The moment that the humanoid stopped stirring was the moment where they let their arrows to fly.

A rush of wind was heard by the humanoids prior from gasping in surprise as two arrows lodged on the log wall surrounding them.

Star snapped her fingers.

Two massive explosions rang through the valley shredding three humanoids and shredding another one from the waist down, chunks of fur, metal, wood, hot stew and flesh impacting the remaining ones standing, with the biggest taking a jagged piece of plate armor into his naked arm. The logs came loose from their position, falling into a pile of rolling death, hitting the ground with a loud crescendo, trampling two more humanoids and the crippled one, their blood curled screams running high before the only sound was the flesh and bone giving in.

Marco and Star jumped, rolling in the air as Star snapped her fingers, a gust of wind wrapped around their bodies, slowing down their descent a few feet from the ground. Disengaging the spell, they hit the ground with a grunt, pulling their swords from their sheaths, the hum of steel quickly gaining the attention of the bloodied survivors. The chieftain snarled pulling the piece of metal hanging from his limb, quickly realizing the situation that they were in and looking at the assailants in front of them, swords out and ready.

He blinked the surprise from his face, snarling with rage and pulling his weapon from a wrecked log.

"De fuck ye came from?" He hissed, looking at his surviving troops in disbelief. Bloodied bodies barely made it to their feet, covered in different wounds from the shrapnel that had flown through them, counting four standing and another with his leg missing, staining the snow with red slush. He eyed the signaling pyre crushed to smithereens and with a quick realization, he hissed a cold stream of curses, preparing himself and holding the bardiche.

Star and Marco said nothing, slowly advancing towards the survivors with the sword held on their forearms, eyeing the bloodied enemies that looked at them in a mixture of anger, pain and fear through their faces. Marco stole a look at Star, making notice of the tremble on her right leg, fatigue quickly running through her body from the quick use of the sigils in quick succession. They would have to make to wrap this up quickly.

Three of the more fit humanoids growled, lifting their polearms with shaky hands, the explosion doing more than a number of them, robbing them of precious energy, literally bleeding it out. Marco judged that ironically the chieftain was the less injured of them, he hoped that they made their point about what was about to happen.

"The big one." Marco said to Star earning confused stares from the survivors.

"Really?" Star chuckled. "What about the one with the missing leg?"

"He's worthless."

Snarling, the chieftain moved in to attack, with a scream busting from his throat, swinging his large weapon at the teens who parted from each other and left him there and let him pass through them. Star screamed her way to the remaining humanoids with savagery out of her throat, her blue eyes were the last thing that two humanoids saw as she twisted her body through the point of attack of the polearms, expertly flickering sideways and with two slashes from her sword she opened the neck of the two humanoids, the red mist splattering on the other standing survivor who screamed jabbing his halberd forward which Star avoided and counter cut the weapon in half, turning it into a simple wooden staff. Eyes widening in surprise he went to pull out his sword before he felt the cold steel at the edge of his throat with Star daring him to even do so with a deadly stare, paralyzing him on the spot.

Marco stayed behind the Princess, holding the large humanoid at bay, letting him swing through the empty spot that he had occupied a second earlier, passing through his legs and cutting the leather straps from his leg chausses. The move was so surprising that the humanoid didn't realize until he turned around and hissed in surprise as the heavy chainmail wrapped around his leather boots making him fall and throwing the weapon from his injured limbs. Marco was to quickly advance towards the downed figure aiming his bloodied sword at him.

A flicker of movement earned Star attention towards the legless humanoid.

The downed humanoid at the dire situation pulled a throwing knife from his belt, pulling his arm and throwing. Quickly she kicked the enemy she had been holding at sword point on the stomach, his body twisting and made him take the knife through the back of his head with a solid meaty clap. She was quick to jump towards the humanoid and slammed it through his right eye through the other side. His body gave a twitch as she pulled her sword out, flickering the blood from her blade with a quick stroke of her wrist, moving towards Marco and standing on his side.

"Ye fuckers!" The tall man screamed, split flying in rage. "Ye bastards, you think you'll get away from this? Nobody escapes from the Red Hand! Nobody! They'll find ya and peel yer flesh from yer bones and then eat it with a side of potatoes."

When they said nothing in response, he got even more enraged, literally throwing his torso in the path of Marco's sword.

"C'mon fucker, do it. Watcha waiting for eh?!"

"Star?"

The Princess brought the sword home, her right hand dibbed down behind her, taking hold of the golden short sickly with a pike on its end, showing it to the surprised humanoid who's face did a 180, paling on surprise at the blood splattered teenagers. His face tilted in surprise, blinking in complete disbelief at the appearance of the golden pike and its last owner.

"Oh yeah buddy." Marco confirmed his doubts, slipping his sword into its sheath.

Star growled, her eyes burning with death.

"We came for answers and you'll provide, unless you want to wear _this_ as a necktie."

Despite towering over them by over three feet, the humanoid didn't felt fear, he worried.

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**A/N: **The ball is already in motion. Hopefully they can get the answers that they need by the next chapter. Stay tuned for another update.

D4rK


	15. Warpath: The First Step

**A/N: **I feel that every chapter that I write goes to wherever the main plan of the story. It's taking me a little bit now because creating new lore, characters and ambient for the settings has taking me a while to plan but I think I'm getting there way quicker. Please enjoy and don't hesitate to PM me or review how you feel about this new update.

Summary: Two worlds, two lives, now one. Through fear and neglect, through hate and pain, Star and Marco must carve a path in a new world for themselves and their loved ones, facing a challenge that neither has anyone encountered. What challenges and dangers wait for the pair in a clash of worlds that they created themselves?

-Disclaimer: Star vs the Forces of Evil belongs to Disney and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

**Between the Half-Moon and the Stars.**

**Chapter 15.**

Warpath: The First Step.

_Bacion Island._

The cold wind didn't stop the trek of a figure drenched in black, like a dot fighting against the sea of white that covered the rocky surface of a platform that overlooked the horizon. The stranger hugged one clawed metallic hand against the edge of his hood, holding it in place against the fierce howls of the winds, overlooking the ever-present white in the distance. His other clawed hand tapped the rock with disinterest, taking the view from the massive tower where he stood overseeing, hundreds of feet in the air. A sudden pink energy cracked and hissed from atop the roof of the tower that he sat under, merely rising an eyebrow about the crack of the ray reaching a height and then dispersing against the coldish winds with a disappearing hum. Steam rose from the ceiling and with it a most foul electrified smoke that displeased the figure immensely, throwing his cape behind him as he strode back inside.

A blast of glacial air hit him before it was replaced by the terrifying aura of darkness that seemed to permeate the very existence of this place. Golden spheres glowed through the darkness, its circular shapes blinking in and out of existence as the echoes and clanks of heavy leather boots echoed into the infinite chambers. His clawed hands extended, reaching and settling on a giant door made of marble. Its stargazed texture seemed to drink the darkness around the figure, white specks gliding around its surface and immobile as the figure racked his claws into a hole so small that the sheer darkness wouldn't even clue about its existence. The large figure rotated his hand, a series of deep clanks and heavy gears groaned to life, the marble shaking with effort as it started to cave into itself, lowering further and further into the stone ground.

Two flames made of pink flames materialized out of thin air, briefly illuminating the path before the figure that did not hesitate walking further into the bowels of the shaped rock into a circular path. Crystals glowed encrusted into the rock guided him easily to his objective, his hands never leaving his heavy leather belt. The hallway divided into a giant cavern with just the speck of white light at the end of it, outlining massive passages of carved rock and wood, while the other circled into a gigantic hole with stone steps guiding him further and further into the unknown.

The sound of agonizing screams started to reverberated through the stone hollow hallway, which were ignored as if t was part of the environment itself. The last of the steps were left behind where another door awaited him with two humanoid guards standing guard on it. They wore black armor as the darkness itself, with the head of a crimson colored feline creature plastered on their chest plates. They parted their spears from the passage and opened the door for him without muttering a single, standing still as the figure strolled past them.

A deep hiss of machinery resounded through the atmosphere, like switching landscapes.

A world inside of another world.

The figure emerged into a large chamber. The darkness cleared, giving way to the faint light of cracking firepit on the center of a well-furnished room with Norse like attributes, along with the row of torches sinking the room into fluorescent yellows and reds that reflected in the polished stone floors, dark stained walls and furs. A single broad man ate from a copper plate, his head down, hiding his features completely, completely concentrated in eating his meal as he indicated one of the two servants in the room to serve him more wine. His manners were refined, eating small chunks of a freshly cut of venison with a mix of hams, vegetables paste and a pike all the while the figure stood impassive at his eating habits, taking a seat at the end of the high table. The broad figure took an air of annoyance, taping his clawed digits against the wood, impassive and waiting.

Downing the wine at the table, the pompous man nodded at his food, finally acknowledging his 'guess' as he hummed at it, cleaning his pink lips pompously and lifting his head across the table, revealing the face of Alfred.

The once faithful servant of the Butterfly family had changed. While in his past he had been quite overweight, in the few months of cleaving his services from the Royal family and Mewni himself, he had transformed and sculped his body into a chiseled physique, even being noticed from his elegant red robes, giving him an even more arrogant appearance than before. His squarish jaw set, blue eyes burning with distaste at the figure at the end of the table.

Finally, he scoffed, throwing it a self-superior look.

"Well, Mr. Steel." He directed his attention at the broad figure known now as Mr. Steel. "You better have good reasons to delay your report by a week. SHE has not been happy with your departure and as her consort, we demand an explanation. Such behavior is not tolerated, we pay you quite handsomely."

The figure tilted his head slowly, yellow glowing eyes peeking over the edge of the figure.

"Your concerns are not my own. She and I have an understanding and you do not enter this equation. Perhaps it is you who's overstaying their position."

The arrogant man hissed angrily, slamming his fist against the table, clanking the plates on the table and making the humanoid servants to jump in fear as his cup crashed on the floor.

Hissing in anger, the man turned to a servant with pinkish hue skin.

"What are you staring at?! Give me another cup and serve me more wine! Clean this up unless you want me to have you whipped! Hurry!".

The servants gasped in fear, doing as they were told hurriedly, all the while the figure staying still, tapping his claws on the table, almost boringly.

"If your drunkard shenanigans are over. I would like to present my report and I'll leave you to your meal."

Manfred grumbled to himself, waving him off as he got served more wine, taking a large sip in which the broad figure took as his cue.

"She's here with the brown-haired brat…and your lackeys failed to deliver."

The former Royal servant growled to himself, sighing as he swirled his wine in his cup.

"Should know to pay far more money to get privateers to do the job that a mercenary couldn't." He paused, turning a single eye at him. "Did you saw where they went?"

"Prince Star and Prince Marco, after their violent disembark in Loirilia, they annihilated a dozen or so mercenaries from the Red Hand and are currently heading North-East according to my observations. It is uncertain where their next path would be but it can be certain that they realized that their trap set for them and stayed out before it could close entirely on them."

"And you didn't think about tailing them?" Manfred hissed through clenched teeth stained with red wine.

His lips curling peevishly at the Mewman protest, revealing sharp teeth like a crocodile.

"I overstayed on the rest of my tasks, besides.." The figure chuckled darkly as if he was savoring a twisted thought filled with carnage, making even someone as arrogant as the former Royal servant to shudder in repulsion "Princess Star has changed from my observations since she came to this little nation. She seems to be quite stabby-happy from what I've seen if you get what I mean…They'll be easy to find with the trail of bodies that they're leaving behind. This shall be very interesting indeed and a far better use of my abilities than crushing resistance to this pathetic royal family." His elegant and well-articulated voice disappear in whispers, extending a hand to one of the servants to get him a refreshment.

The former Royal servant grunted at the report.

"Then we're making progress. My mistress will contact you with further details in advancing our…other project at hand."

The broad figure let out a short breath as he finished his drink in a single gulp.

"That's such a waste of my abilities, but I am honored to humble your request, for a small fee, of course." He stood up with a whoosh of his cape, looking at the arrogant man over his broad shoulder. "Do give the Lady my regards, I am sure that we'll be meeting quite soon." He chuckled looking at a particular pitch-black corner before going back the same way we came.

Manfred rolled his eyes, finishing his drink, looking at the very same corner that the figure had watched before exiting the room.

A pair of pink eyes glowed through the darkness along with a pair of pink lips that spread in a sadistic grin of clenched teeth.

"What do you think my consort?"

There was a pause before the shadowed figure hummed, cackling softly and smiling sadistically.

"Heh, I think your quarrel with my strongest asset is quite amusing." The female voice spoke with enjoyment.

Manfred rolled his eyes and looked aside.

"That's not what I am talking about." The former servant finally said, goading his mistress for an answer.

The pink glowing eyes scrunched in an amused way, lips widening into a pleased smirk, a sneer hissing from her clenched teeth.

"Oh, it is just like he said. I believe that things will get interesting alright…we shall meet very soon again, Mud-sister."

The room was submerged into a pink hue of raw power and it was all the servants could do to hold for the wine jar for dear life.

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…_Unless you want to wear this as a necktie._

The tall warrior scoffed in her direction to provide with a falsehood that he wasn't scared of her threats but the moment he did so, something changed. Her eyes changed to something that he couldn't past as humanoid. Something prickled at the back of his head, staring at something that couldn't be from this world. Colder spheres of death glowed unnaturally, harsher and deadlier than the unforgiving tundra that surrounded them; he couldn't help himself and paled at his reflection in her blue spheres, her fingers clenching and unclenching a weapon that had been acquired spilling red mist. Her arm barely restrained itself to drive it through his skull, like a berserker ready to administer pain to its next victim.

He immediately felt the power that seemed to radiate from her figure and coughed to ease the sudden dryness in his throat, distracting himself to start bandaging his arm with his cleanest bandage. She coaxed a dry grunt out of him and that was that; all was silent as the party of three observed each other with the other sounds accompanying all three was the howl of the wind and the sounds and grunts as the mercenary rolled up his bandage firmly. Giving it a firm tug, he centered his attention on them, intently.

The boy who seemed completely harmless, eyeing him up and then at the fiery girl in front of him. The large humanoid judged him, immediately realizing that there was more than met the eye. He drove himself with a measured gait, watching everything and nothing at the same time, the trait of a warrior with years of experience, winning and decapitating every foe met in the battlefield, even if he looked so young, his eyes were flat, cold and detached to the situation at hand, yet still extremely aware by the way he calculated his steps with an unnatural ability to measure himself against the world, willing to fight everything and everyone around it if he had to but not because he wanted to.

The boy made a motion with his hand and the girl with the golden locks gained some distance away from him clipping the weapon at her back and stepping some feet away from him, observing her own handy work. The large humanoid grunted at how obscene and unnatural their abilities had been, without knowing a single thing from them and if there was something that he hated was being at a disadvantage.

"What's your name?" The voice of the boy snapped his black eyes directly into his, his teeth curling back with a hiss.

"Not of yar business boy! Just get it done already! You're wasting your time with me."

"Shut up and answer him!" The spitfire suddenly turned around and snarled like a banshee, stomping a boot in his direction and he couldn't help himself and flinch at the audible fury dripping from her throat. Once more the boy extended a hand and she shook her head, circling around him, her lips trembling in muted fury.

Marco observed her for a moment, shaking his head before centering his eyes once more on him.

"Now, how about we start again? My name is Marco, and the blonde beauty at your side is my fiancée, Star. I know your type so I am not going to play the thousand question games with you."

The humanoid smirked. "Good, because I would make a terrible prisoner."

Marco uncrossed his arms, his brown eyes stabbing into his and the humanoid didn't need to hear an angry tongue to know immediately that this boy meant business. "Then it's a good thing my intention is not to make you one. You're a mercenary, right?"

The humanoid crossed eyes with the boy and the devil like girl, taken back by the question on itself, finally nodding his head with a grunt.

"Then how about a small business proposition then?"

Blinking in disbelief the humanoid was more than happy to provide a well-deserved _fuck you_ but the girl suddenly peeked at him with those unnatural eyes of a killer and he hissed, angry at himself for being unable to control his own body.

Without further delay he rolled his eyes.

"Ye think I'm gonna exchange my life for information?" He gurgled a throaty laugh, ignoring this time the girl hiss and the gaze of the boy. But rather than making him angry, his eyes turned playful, immediately stopping his laugh.

Marco waved his hand around. "You misunderstand. We're willing to hire you for information and as a guide, your typical merc work. I pay you; you do as I say, simple as that. No strings attached."

That immediately gained the attention of both the mercenary and the Princess that stopped to circled around the humanoid to throw her own fiancé a look of pure confusion.

She mouthed a _what the hell Marco _behind the humanoid which he ignored.

By the way that Marco noticed the way the humanoid expression had softened he seemed to be considering it.

"Think about it. We'll probably pay you more to you in a day than whatever the Red Hand is paying here. In exchange, you'll provide us with information about what lies between this outpost and the Red Hand base, you'll guide us in and that'll be it. We'll be in our way and you can be on yours…well." He paused looking at the torn bodies around their feet. "You probably don't want to stay here."

"Or join them." Star said with a harsh bite behind the humanoid.

Marco swallowed the bitter scream in frustration at the violence that was rolling off her throat but it seemed to make the point across for the humanoid, who now sat with crossed arms, looking at the winter sky. In the spawn of a few days she had gone from the sweet and fiery persona that he had fallen in love with to a warrior who would do anything to get drenched in blood. It was extremely worrisome and reckless.

His frustration must have shown in his face, but he couldn't help himself.

"Really Marco? You want to do this right now?" She irritably told him as she pointed at the bodies surrounded by red slouch.

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You need to mind yourself Star. You can't just swing by and kill because you can. That's not the warrior way, that's just senseless murder." He hissed through clenched teeth.

She laughed with irony of it all, irritating Marco to not end and confusing their prisoner.

"You're the one to talk Diaz. I won the battle, one of many." She hissed, teeth bared through her violently twitching lips, barely able to control the fury that threatened to consume her mind.

"The battle? Sure, but think about it. You think you're going to win the one happening right now in your head after this is over? You think you can live with yourself?" He said knowingly.

She opened her mouth to insult him but then thought about it, closing her mouth afterwards, lips trembling in confusion. The sadness displayed in Marco's face was evidence of it. The man of her life gave everything he had and some more in Hekapoo's dimension, fighting tooth and nail to complete his objective, only because she was too stupid and too stubborn to believe him.

For the first time they had arrived here, her face showed something.

She was unnerved.

As Marco had seen, she was not feeling like herself, at all. In his travels, he had been forced to grow up in a minute notice. He remembered the very same feelings that coursed through his head and he knew that the more you swung your blade, the longer you wished to plunge your sword into a mass of flesh, hear the flood of blood, the bone giving in to your steel and the lamentation tearing from the throat of your enemy. You felt the power cursing through you, getting drunk in their fear, clenching it, wanting it, like a drug injected in your bloodstream, dulling every sense in you but the sheer pleasure of the violence that you could spill before they could ever blink. To think that their lives were not their own anymore but yours to decide what would you do with them.

It was a road that he walked on for sixteen years; it took him a considerable amount of time to find his peace with it. Pacifying his burning soul of his warrior side was one of the hardest things he had ever done outside of this world. His senses were still sharp, his skill was as sharp as his wit but the burning temptation to lose himself into the violence was over. His head was cold in his shoulders, skill overtaking raw instinct and logic flowing through his brain. That didn't mean that he would hesitate in the moment of truth, it would just get you or your loved ones killed. Just as he had done it, Star would do as well. The difference is that now he would be there to guide her, if she was willing to listen and make reason. With the situation of the kingdom, she was highly stressed as it was. He didn't want her to develop a temper connected with dicing someone over it.

"Star." Marco's voice rang and hung in the air but she was too distressed to listen. As she eyed what they've done together, she curled into her own mind.

As Marco had indeed deduced, the Princess didn't know where such fury and blood lust were coming from but she couldn't help herself. She felt angry and seeking to sink her sword into as many enemies as she could. She did not regret her actions in the slightest but she recognized that her hand had been forced due this tenacious situation and that was as far as she was concerned worrying Marco and she wondered if he was starting to get cautious of what she would be capable of down the line. She wasn't going to stop killing those that opposed them, while finding perhaps some enjoyment in trill of the fight, but her temper needed to get under her control…or she might lose far more than her mewmanity. It was extremely ironic really, to wonder that one time she said the very same thing to Tom, getting disgusted with his lack of control and now she was here, not being herself, killing humanoids without giving it second thought and losing face to Marco. Taking a sweet breath of cold air, she retired behind the humanoid, watching him from the corner of her eye, flickering the blood from her arm vambraces with a flick of her wrist. Her movement finally made Marco to accept that her lethargic mind had restarted and she was on the move again, his worry finally subsiding to focus in the situation at hand.

The situation should be cracking with nervous energy but the mercenary felt a strange calm surging through him with the promise of something far more interesting than guarding this forgotten post in the tundra, feeling as the air of hostility diminished in the girl walking to his side.

"How many ruks are ya talkin' bout?" He asked cautiously, his interested peeking, eyes rising, thoughtful.

Marco didn't let his smirk to show through, putting his concern aside for the moment. No matter where you went, any universe, any city, money ALWAYS talked.

"Quarter of a sack and whatever you can salvage from here. It's all yours."

Immediately the mercenary grinned, standing to his full height and crossing his left hand and extending his right hand.

Star looked suspiciously at him, her muscles curling into her skin, ready to act if it came to it but Marco didn't even hesitate to shake his larger hand with a strength that seemed off the boy that he towered over, squeezing his hand with equal firmness making the humanoid eyes to widen for a second at grip like steel that gripped back.

Swallowing his doubts, he shook his large head at him positively.

"Name's Rashall and ya got yerself a deal."

The Princess looked at him suspiciously as their new _mercenary_ as he dug through the remains of the destroyed camp, picking up supplies, food and extra clothing for the journey. He finally made his way where their bodies of his former humanoids stood in the same positions they've died. With a judgmental eye, the giant shook his head and passed on where his weapon rested, still stuck in a fallen log.

Her jaw went slack, looking at him deviously, tight-lipped with the shadow of a growl building in her throat.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm a mercenary right?" The humanoid didn't even pause, shifting his weapon up and down to free it from its wood prison. "I need my Bardiche. Or what? You think Imma bard and kill all whoever we encounter with my sweet singing voice?" He laughed in a raspy note rattling in his throat.

Despite her momentary anger, she felt amusement at his words, not being able to find lack of humor.

"You would kill them I am sure."

They both shared a brief grin at that as the giant of a man grunted with the effort of freeing his weapon. She felt tense again, the air charging with the shadow of a threat at a weapon that had been used to chop them to pieces.

Marco cleared his throat, crossing his arms as soon as her gaze landed on him.

"Please Star, let him have it."

She relented, but only because she was already eager to move.

"Fine, but he'll ride with me and Eowyn."

The mercenary grunted, bouncing back at few feet as the weapon came off with a crack of wood. He blinked at looked at his new hirers.

"Eowyn?" The mercenary parroted the name.

"It's okay, she doesn't bite, not much anyway. She rather crush with her jaws."

Marco rolled his eyes and followed up through the now enemy clear trail though he couldn't avoid the grin that broke over his face. The odd gang made their way down the hill through a tightly constructed passage of wood with thick planks holding it together that could've only be seen through the other side of the trail which put them back into open terrain, their boots crunching in the snow, rounding through the other side of the pass, with the humanoid at the front. The sleds came into view a few passes later, still in the same position where they've left them. The mercenary stood his ground, blinking and then grinning in amusement, looking over his shoulder down at the Princess.

"That's his carriage alright. From the bottom of my dried-up heart, thank ya."

Lifting an eyebrow, she didn't know what to say, taken back by his open friendliness.

"That guy was a fucking lunatic. Reason nobody messed wid da fool was because he had the favor of a few Lieutenants and made 'em money with his cruelty. Guess they'll have to get deir coins through honest soldiering than being a filthy brigand eh? Ha, good job."

The Royal couple looked at each other and just shrugged.

A deep whine followed up by a furry head sticking out from the closed sled, looking at her owners with an excited howl, her body finally standing up from the sled. The mercenary paused as he stared at the animal in question, judging her up and down and the animal did the same. The open hostility that Eowyn had displayed was strangely not present as she stared at the giant of a man. With a curious tilt of her head she regarded him, eyes staring at him and then at Star.

She nodded at her and the warg disengaged, giving them space to sit, climbing down the back seat closer to the rider.

"That's a nice pooch, big one too. She's from your lands?"

"You might say that." Marco answered as he approached Eowyn with a large snack in his hand that he had fetched from his backpack, throwing at Eowyn. The warg caught the snack on the air, chewing on it with a happy wiggle of her tail.

"Okay…now Mr…Rashall. Speak to us what's waiting for us after that pass?" Star spoke in the politest voice she could use considering their current situation, without an ounce of ferocity in her tone.

The man lifted his finger and opened his mouth to respond with a nasty response at the ready before he was interrupted by the jiggle of coins from Marco's hands who approached the giant, holding a sack in his hands and extending it to him. He violently tore the sack from his hand, checking his contents.

Marco crossed his arms, looking at the mercenary intently.

"This is half of what I was promised…you playin' some games with me boy?"

"Not at all. This is my insurance that you're not playing a game with us either. You're getting a portion of what was promised to you and you'll get the rest when we safely reach our destination. And before you even protest, I'll throw some extra to buy the leg chausses that I ruined, if we make it before the day's end. Good enough?"

Star crossed her arms looking up in him, ready to assist if things got violent but the moment the mercenary relaxed, she knew Marco had him.

"You sure got a way with words boy. You got a deal, whatever that keeps ya alive that is. Tell ya what, I'll let you have two tankards of ale as me thanks. Good enough?"

Marco grunted positively, taking the folded map over his satchel and opening it up.

"We followed the map that we liberated up to this point. I barely managed to reach this outpost through instinct alone but I don't want us to fight our way through the entire passage. Is there an alternative route that we can take?"

The mercenary had not actually looked at Marco the entire time that the Prince had talked, instead he extended a single finger and tapped the spot marked with the X.

"You're actually planning into walking into basecamp?" He laughed. "Do you have a death wish?"

"You don't actually know who we are, do you?" Star finally spoke, uncrossing her arms and walked closer to the males.

Marco sighed. Might as well just come clean with it then.

"I am Prince Marco and she's my fiancée, Princess Star. We sailed from our the Mewni Kingdom. We came on peace mission from our Kingdom, aids and representatives from Vulpesh to investigate the strange disappearances that have occurred in this Kingdom but…we were attacked and ambushed by pirates. Our ships burned and sank into the sea sadly with the rest of our troops and the crew. The Red Hand came to us and tried to take us by force."

"Which didn't work very well for them." Star growled, fidgeting with her newly acquired weapon.

"Their leader mentioned that the King and the Queen wanted us captured and dead…rather than investigate the disappearances. We were betrayed and we want answers and off this island."

The large humanoid hummed to himself. "Well, dat is true awright. People 'ad gone missing, heard stories 'bout it. But nobody has come forward to hire for dat." He confirmed for them that at least that was true. "Still. You figure it out that the best way to get some answers is to go directly to our main camp and ask our leader details of his contract?" The giant of a humanoid blinked in surprise, looking at them stupefied. "You sure you took them down? All by yerselfs? You aren't lying are ya?"

"We killed your group in seconds, you think we had problems with some half starving and ill-equipped mercenaries?" This time it was Marco who spoke with aggression, surprising the Princess with his open hostility for a change. "We want answers, what's the best way to get them than straight from the mouth of those that want to capture us? He might know more than he lets on."

The mercenary blinked and then laughed with amusement.

"Boy I don't know where you came from, but you're ballsy, I'll give you that. Alright so…you want details? You'll get them, as part of our contract." The mercenary pulled from his pack three strings of blue fabric holding out to them. "Our contract is easy to follow. Put these on, I'll identify that you're the client and meself. If there's something that we don't mess with its other's guys money, it'll throw some money in their coffers alright but the rest is mine, fair and square." He sighed, looking at the bardiche resting on his sword. "We have three more stops and another hidden pass like the we one we just vacated which will guide us into the valley and into the base camp."

"How many mercenaries are we expected to encounter?" Marco asked making calculations in his head.

"Depends on the season. But I say that at least three hundred, possible more if the scouting parties came back from…assisting the kingdom from their everlasting mission of conquest."

Star squinted her eyes in confusion which propelled the humanoid to grunt, crossing his massive arms.

"Rivalry between nations is still going strong. It's been gone since I was a boy. There's another big island, East of the main one and others that surround it to the North. Once in a while they do incursions against each othah."

Marco waved his arm. "That's not our concern at the moment, but thank you for telling now. How are the troops organized? What type of equipment do they employ?"

"There's a small band with the scouting party, archers, pikemen, a small legion of riders and a group that dedicates its entire operation to long range catapults and siege. Enough for ya?"

Slowly the Royal couple looking at each other, knowing that they were not going to like this very much. By the look on fatigue of his Princess, he could sympathize, feeling the very same way.

"Let's get this over with. How far are we?" Star asked impatiently.

"Couple leagues. It'll take us at least two hours to get there." Rashall answered as he pulled a piece of jerky. The warg perked up at the sight of food, licking her chops and smelling it in his direction. The man grunted, hissing and pulling his food away, eating it as he looked behind him.

Sighing, Marco rubbed his tired eyes, hating every single thing about the island. It was like being again into the unknown, like Hekapoo's dimension.

"My blade will stay thirsty through the trail but we'll get there if we hurry, before sundown as per your request. Now let's get ourselves on the way, shall we?"

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She should feel bad but in reality, she didn't.

Jackie stood in front of the house, already at night with her hand in her pockets staring at the property and the sounds of music and laughter that came from the inside. She checked her phone to see of any other texts of her significant other but there was none but the asking text of someone named 'keyguitar dude' through her contact list.

'r u comin'

She sighed feeling lost of what to do. For as long as she remembered she had always been a clear person in whatever she wanted but now, she felt compelled for the first time to admit that she didn't know what to do. On part, she felt bad with Chloe for starting this strain into their relationship and building a wall with how her life was supposed to be lived. It was the very same thing with Marco all over again. The only reason she had ended things with him was not only because she felt that she was on the way to truly get what he really wanted in this life and it hadn't been her but a place in Mewni and be by Star's side forever and he got it, he got to be happy with his choice and she was happy for both of them. But now, Chole was doing the same thing to her. She wanted to forget her goals and do as they went, wing it, with no plans down the line, dreams build by shaky bridges and dedicate her entire life for something that she did for fun as a career.

She already knew what she wanted to do as soon as high school was over. She wanted to be a marine biologist, she already had a pile of schools interested in her talents due her excellent grades and the thesis that she presented in France.

It just wasn't for her to tell such things to Chloe but at the same time, she didn't really want to strain the relationship the further they went this path, the further her goals became and she couldn't have that. What was the point of a relationship if each other partners goals were not encouraged and helped the significant other to achieve them and vice versa? How could someone that have proclaimed their love for you try to discourage you to follow your dreams and your path into becoming something that you wanted to make a different in this larger and stranger world? Just the fact if exploring all the new ocean species in this combined world was enough to made her giddy with excitement but no…Chloe wanted to leave it all behind to do skateboard tricks.

She pulled on her hair, hissing through the annoyance of it all. Taking a deep breath to calm the torment that was her mind she exhaled. She was Jackie Lynn Thomas, the chilliest of all chilliest of gals and nothing was going to put her into a funk. Without doubting, she replied.

'Outside' And then hit send.

She didn't have to wait long.

The door opened slowly; a smiling Oskar appeared with a red cup in it. He was dressed differently than the pier. His clothes had been peeled with a chocolate brown hoodie, pressed black pants, red sneakers and a hair style upwards which looked stylish on him.

"Hey skater girl. Watcha do that for eh?" He pointed at the round door bell. "There's this thingy that chimes when you call, I think it's called a door bell, ya press it and I come get ya."

For someone as chill as Oskar, she really enjoyed his easygoing sarcasm.

Yet she couldn't help but to roll her eyes.

"I just wanted to be polite."

"Polite you are fair madam, now how about I invite you in before thy maiden freezes outside my walls?" He made a motion to enter the house where the dozens of voices were mixing along with laughter poppy rock music sounding from the inside.

She made a fake cutesy like having a large dress. "How could I refuse such gallant invitation?"

He smiled, a fang peaking from his lips.

The poppy rock music disappeared as soon as she went inside replaced by a heavy metal song, Slayer-Raining Blood started playing. The change was so abrupt that the people ignored her to gather in a circle around Brantley. The older man was singing his lungs out to the song, with a tie wrapped around his head. She shook her head at his antics and preferred to stay next to Oskar who brought her to the drink table.

"Well, this is our fine selection of the night. We got a finest Brandy that eight dollars could buy; pretty sure it was done by Charles the Second."

She snorted at him.

"Then we got Tsar vodka, the favorite of Royals, two bucks. Then we got the sacred beer of Kings and Queens, Miller light and our snack table with the finest ingredients like doritos, reheated sausages and other assorted snacks."

"Oh yeah, I am pretty sure this is what they serve at Star's castle."

"Woah, I didn't know she had a castle." He mused, placing a finger on his chin and tapping it in deep thought. "I guess that makes sense, Princess and all of that." He proclaimed as if he had been the revelation of a lifetime.

If he was doing it on purpose of not, Jackie laughed again.

"But where are my manners fair maiden, may I offer you a refreshment from our royal table?"

"This maiden like to keep it simple. Don't feel like gorging on your fine liquor, my good Sire, so how about a beer?"

He smiled and pointed a finger point at her. "Coming right up." He never stopped smiling as he opened a cooler, rummaging through its contents until he found what he was looking for, a cold beer clutched in his hands. She unconsciously licked her lips not remembering the last time she had one, accepting the beer in his stretched hand.

"Why thank you Sire, I shall accept thy refreshment."

He laughed and clicked his red cup against her own drink, the can opened with a hiss and brought it to her lips, taking down a gulp with a hum of enjoyment. It was exactly what she neededed.

"Wanna sit down? Brantley is cool but uh…" They both cringed as a he left a high note that ended up in a disguised cough followed by a dry singing. "Well, I don't think we connect musically."

She laughed.

"Understanding of the century."

They both sat down in a couch at the end of the living room, surprisingly clean of empty cans or remains of junk food. The silence stretched, with the young adults lazily drinking and laughing at the older man antics and terrible singing voice mixed with the laughter of the crowd. After a few minutes of enjoyable silence, Jackie was compelled to say something.

"You know Oskar, you surprised me today."

The teen placed his glass on the table and fully turned to face her, his blue eyes sparkled with an intensity that seemed uncharacteristically of who he was.

"Every time I've seen you around, you run away from class so you can go to your car and play, I think that's the side of you that I remember until you dropped out and never told anyone Don't get this the wrong way but are you okay?"

He laughed, looking aside, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I think I asked you the same question today, like, totally dude." He smiled. "Well, it's gah, normally I wouldn't worry because ya know, no worry no loss in life you feel me? But lately it's like I got my eyes opened for what's coming. I can't just play anymore without thinking about it. Just look at Brantley, like really look at him." They looked around the house with the many pictures of him and his mother along with the older man frowning in every single one of them.

They both cringed and she understood completely.

"Oh." Was the only thing that escaped from her lips.

He chuckled. "Yeah." He drawled. "That's gonna be like, totally me in thirty years from now? Like, dude, no way man."

They stayed silent for a minute. Jackie gathered her courage to ask him in a way to not put him down.

"Well, what are you going to do about it? You got so much time."

"I'm thinking of going back, apply myself…so I can give the life that my sister needs. She's so unhappy, I just don't want her to suffer and stay with someone that doesn't really care about her." He sighed. "But when I think about it. What can I do? I'm slow, clumsy, I got AHDH and the only thing I'm good at is just an instrument and song writing. I got nothing going on for me, it's why I connected with Mango so well."

"It's Marco" Jackie corrected with a small grin.

"Yeah, him." He chuckled taking a sip of his drink. "I just would like to find something that I would enjoy without taxing my soul and enslaving me to the man, ya know? Rather than living in the streets or crashing with a man still living with his mom at forty, oh man that came out so wrong. I got bummer virus"

"No, it's okay." Jackie placated him with her hands. "I think what you need is attend a workshop. I know a couple that would really help you in finding something that you enjoy. The job is out there, especially if you want to help others…it's really what moves me into becoming a marine biologist." She smiled. "Just the thought of exploring these new species in our combined worlds, cataloging them and helping into the conservation and spreading my teachings to the masses just makes me happy." Her smile fell. "Except that Chloe doesn't believes in that."

His eyes shimmered with emotion now.

"Ah, I get it now. I don't wanna pry."

"It's fine Oskar. You've been more helpful than anyone around."

He smiled, appreciating her compliment and disguising his flush by taking a sip of his drink.

"You can be direct; I don't mind if you're blunt."

He took a deep breath, a smarter and understanding look taking hold of his expression.

"Okay Seashell, but…do you think that you're ready to accept her as an obstacle in the way of your dreams?" He winced at his own words, not knowing where such burst of honesty came forth but she didn't look offended, if only she smiled sadly, looking at the table in front of them.

"Maybe." She finally admitted, crossing her arms across her chest. "She has taught me so many things about myself and the world around me, to feel and she taught me that I could be more than the cool as cucumber skater chick that everyone sees me like but, she doesn't believe in me. She doesn't think that I can make out there, to follow my dreams. She wants me to live life as it comes, with no future, no stability but doing my hobby as a career. I…I just can't. I can't handle that she doesn't believes in me." She buried her face into her hands with a sad whine off her throat.

For a moment the boy was at a conflict with himself, not knowing what to do when such a pretty girl was radiating with sadness, never actually doing things that required action other than inspiration, but he felt he had to do something. Slowly, he placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.

"Like no fair dude." His voice carried out a hint of something stronger than the easy-going accent that always carried his short phrases. "You can't just let this keep the great Jackie Lynn Thomas down. I think that does it, why we gotta keep us down. Putting us down in chains and dragging us down to their feet…and I think that only us can break down from their chains."

She knew how cheesy the line sounded, like if he was writing lyrics to a song but immediately, she felt better than we she came and she found herself leaning more fully into him, enjoying his comforting presence, throwing him a warm smile. His blue eyes intensified, filling his body with joy and something else that he couldn't put his finger on, like a key to his instrument that he was eager to play, over and over again. He didn't know where this sudden impulse came from, threatening to erase his entire existence. His blue eyes lowered to her soft and plump pink lips, his heart beating painfully into his chest, sending fire into his veins pump by pump. He felt like he was going to explode from something that he couldn't even explain.

From Jackie's part she recognized the tell signs of what he was thinking, her own aqua marine eyes staring at his soft looking lips, regardless if his silly fake fangs were poking from them. Her own heart thumped painfully in her chest, crossing her legs unconsciously and rubbing her knee against his leg. The boy jumped as if he had been burned, surprised edging on his expression.

"I..I, uh. Sorry, I think that maybe I had too much to drink, I'm going to the restroom…would you be here when I come back?" Oskar asked her not able to hide the hurt in his features and knowing exactly why he was feeling so badly now. Without waiting for an answer, he stood up and turned his back on her.

A hand grasped him firmly by the arm, stopping him on his feet. His blue eyes snapped to hers, an expression of uncertainty on his face.

"Look Oskar, you didn't do anything wrong." She patted the empty space next to her. The boy caressed his hair locks, sighing and sitting down on the place that he had been occupying, finding the wall more interesting that the girl next to him.

"I…I couldn't help it. I like you" His tone was sad and carried a meaning of his confusion, feeling like a total jackass into revealing his own feelings and feeling terribly sorry for it, never actually doing it so, but he felt that Jackie made him do things that he wouldn't have done otherwise, like revealing his pain. He had never done that for anybody.

She dismissed his concerns. "Well, neither could I help myself."

That immediately caught his attention, snapping his face to her.

"You were right, I've felt like this for a long time, ever before I got back to Echo Creek. This…this isn't who I am." She pointed at herself. "I don't want to feel like I have to give up my aspirations and my dreams for someone that doesn't believe in me and wants to dictate me how I live my life. I am not that person…" She faced him fully, a determination burning on her expression. "This is not who Jackie Lynn Thomas is. I might be with Chloe at the moment but…I am going to give her a chance to give me the chance that I deserve to become who I want to be, if she doesn't accept me for who I am, then that would be it. I don't need that toxicity poisoning me. That's…not…who…I…am."

The boy was too stunned to say anything at first, passing a hand through his face with an expression of wonder.

"That's the most expressive thing I've ever heard from you."

She laughed, humor once more replacing her serious expression.

"Yeah, I guess in times like these, it kinda flows from you."

They both chuckled.

She got serious again. "So, do you really want to do this?" She asked knowingly.

Caught in the act, the boy stammered, not knowing how to react like a fish out of the water making her laugh.

"I swear, boys." She rolled her eyes. "Look Oskar, I do like you. You're a cool dude and I don't say that like the other school bimbos. You got more going on that I thought and you might say that my…interest has peaked in you and things with Chloe don't change I wouldn't mind giving this a shot."

His smile widened, opening his mouth to express contentment.

"But." Jackie opened her mouth before he could. "I don't want a Brantley or a Chloe. I want a person that I can count on, that will do their better to aspire to be something better not only for themselves but for me as well. I don't want you to change who you are…but if you're not seeking to improve yourself, I wouldn't want to be with someone like that. If Marco and Star had taught me something is that commitment is far more than being together, but being there for each other and helping to complete your aspirations and your dreams, together, as friends, lovers and as a team. To be there through every step in the way, this is just how I feel. If…if this sounds too headstrong for you, then we can just take a step back and become friends, but it must be because you want this. If you're willing to strive to be something better, then that would be my answer. Is this what you want?"

She held out her hand.

The boy didn't hesitate for a second, placing his hand on hers, squeezing his hand unto a tight grip.

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**A/N: **And that's it for this update. Stay tuned!

D4rK


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